A History of Love
by LackLuster99
Summary: This is the place where Ed/Win lemons with a satisfying plot live ** This Story is Now Complete! My expansion on the lives of Edward and Winry after the manga/brotherhood anime.
1. Prolouge

There were many interpretations of the truth.

This was something he first became aware of as a young child on a lonely island fighting for survival with one brother, one grief, and one tiny little ant. What is the meaning behind alchemy he wondered then? What is One and what is All and how is it connected? How can a human life return to the world of the living once disease has snuffed it out? Did he find it there on the island? Did he find it in the heart of central under the arrogant gaze of the homunculus called Father? Did he understand it any more clearly now after defeating the pale and faceless Truth and returning his beloved brother to flesh, blood, and bright gold eyes?

Even now he was still searching for the meaning of Alchemy, but he had come to understand that Truth is all in the perception.

He was no longer capable of manipulating the energy behind the tectonic plates of the world, but did that make him any less of an alchemist? Perhaps he had conquered the Truth and severed a connection from arrogance, from peril and violence. He was powerless to transmute - separated from a great ability...

Or, he was free of it. That was one very palpable interpretation.

On the roof of the Rockbell home, Edward gazed longingly and steadily over a dense green country with a silver curtain of blue grey horizon. It was beautiful. But Truth was complex. Alchemic progression was over, but there were many ways to find Truth and purpose. He felt a stirring in his blood to move and see a new perception of the world and the possibilities of science.

He felt hungry for knowledge.

Edward was looking for reversal. As he drank in the quietness of domestic life he knew that it was not all over. Reversal of his brother's sacrifice was not the only mission he was meant for. There were so many wrongs he could right, and the hurts of alchemy he now longed to mend in Amestris. What knowledge lay hidden and untouched in foreign lands that he could use to help soothe those wounds of the past? Nina. He couldn't get Nina out of his head and he knew Alphonse was thinking the very exact same thing.

He knew one day he would be back here for good, but it was not quite yet. One day, he would plant his feet in Amestris and grow the family he knew he wanted. He was closer than ever to making that family but not yet ready completely for such a quiet life. When the time came, perhaps then he would spread what he had learned and reteach alchemic principals to an arrogant and militaristic nation. In his daydreams, Edward imagined a school – an academy of alchemy and its peaceful civic uses. He imagined himself teaching, sparring, and guiding young Alchemist – perhaps orphans or children who had lost a parent like himself. He imagined he could stop so many from making the same mistakes out of grief by correctly using the principals of alchemy and teaching new interpretations that he had come to learn himself throughout the years. So many Ninas he could prevent from being made…There were many paths available to him now. He could do this, even without transmutation. He could do this with knowledge and experience alone.

In the distance he heard clutter and clinking of soft white hands working on hard metal...or perhaps dish wear now that he really listened...Winry must be cooking, he mused.

Winry. Then there was Winry. 2 precious years under the same roof with his Winry.

Yes, it was worth it in the end. He would go.

And then he would come back and start their life.

/

In the two years of quiet retirement, Alphonse gained strength. During the first months of their reunion, Winry alternated her weeks between Rizembool and Rush Valley. She still desired to perfect her engineering abilities but also did not want to be separated from the brothers for long now that they were finally returned to her whole and out of danger. After 8 months of constant commuting, Garfiel had let Winry take a year long hiatus from her training, allowing her to spend all her time with Ed and Al as well as craft a brand new leg for a taller and ever sprouting upward Ed. She maintained the high chrome balance she had learned in the North to ensure low stress on his limbs. She could not believe what a man, Edward had suddenly become. He was calmer, leaner, longer, and more gracious than she ever quite remembered him. She liked it.

"I'm making up for lost time..." he would say with expressly exuberant pride and happiness. He grinned so wide his cheeks would pop out and flush with rosy gladness. It made her insides dance.

That wasn't to say there still weren't battles of wits and wills and angry tirades and eyes rolling over and over like waves. However, these still managed to turn Winry's gut over in her belly just as much as his new found sweetness. She found that her days were spent in constant anxiety of what kind of encounter she would have that day with Edward…and how close they would become to finally exposing their true feelings.

They were constantly growing closer all three of them. Life in its sudden quietness was awkward at first. Time healed that unreal feeling of rest quickly and the brothers found new purpose in rebuilding their lives as they should have been. Alphonse had physical therapy nearly every day and relearned his old habits and abilities with comfort and care.

Once he was strong enough, mornings became sparring practice. Edward challenged his brother and helped reteach strength, quickness, and agility while also training up a right arm that was frail and weak from time beyond the gate. Martial Arts, sword work (blunt blades made by Al with scrap metal), any skill they had picked up on the journey they continued to train as if they had a purpose beyond mere muscle training. Winry knew that there must be a goal not yet attained that they would eventually set out for. It made her sad to know their respite would end, but was excited and curious to discover what their next journey was. She knew that for both of them, it was vital to keep moving forward; to always be learning.

Winry loved to watch the practice duals between them. Out of courtesy, Alphone usually did not use Alchemy except if Edward expressly told him to. Edward was still strong, and a talented fighter. Winry could respect and appreciate his wit and sharp thinking as Alphonse regularly challenged him in mock battle. Many times though, Alphonse was more composed, patient, and calculating and gained the upper hand, leveling his older Brother to the ground with a smile. She couldn't help herself and always chuckled as she watched them shake hands and make their way back up to the house...Edward rubbing gingerly on some small injury, his face flush and bright with the exercise. It made her insides twist. She suddenly took note at the sharp lines of his shoulders, his chest, and his unbelievably firm abdominals.

Winry – calm down.

For Edward, sometimes hearing the clap of his brothers hands echoing through the countryside like rain or watching the sparks from transmutation light up the air with energy, induced small twinges of sadness or nostalgia, but never jealousy or regret. He was impressed daily with his brother's growing ability and study of alkahestry; it made him a more compelling artist and foe.

However, before long, Edward felt himself flatline in his own quest for strength. The stirring to travel grew strong in him. Feeling it in Alphonse also, Edward knew he must somehow look for a new way to practice science for the people of Amestris and undo the government's wrongs against so many. Therefore, when his brother asked him the question that day on the roof, Edward was far from surprised. It was time to finally move forward after two long years of retirement.

But. There was still the matter of Winry.

/

Two years of torture. How could he have known that returning home would be the undoing of the suave, debonair, unconcerned, single and free Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist. Could he have predicted the changes she underwent in his eyes? Could he have hypothesized on the effects she would suddenly have on every ounce of his skin, heart, and mind?

He had grown into the habit of watching every move she made. He began to notice small things that he had religiously ignored in order to stay focused when his life was perilous and unpredictable. He began to study the way her hair curled up at the ends and the crease in her forehead when she became irritated at her grandmother.

But there were new things he noticed too...

The swell of her curves under her clothing was becoming a growing obsession with Edward. It would mortify him to no end to admit it, but he began day and night dreaming about what it would be like to peel off the covers of her clothing and see the cause behind the effect of her shape. When she stood too close he would find his hands acting out of sync wit his intentions. He truly was at a loss as to why such closeness would result in sudden impulsive physical response. By the time Edward had embarked on his journey to Creta and the great University of Alchemy in the capital city of Zolexandria, he had unintentially touched Winry 37 times. He kept a count in his head...

Edward's Inexplicable List of Winry Contact Moments...

1. Washing dishes, fingers grabbed her hand and stroked it...blew it off as mistaking it for gravy boat.

2. Helping her hang a framed photograph of the newly restored Alphonse and family, arm brushed the small of her back and lingered on the curve of her waist while nailing in the frame...avoided eye contact remainder of day.

3. While eating a sundae, hand reached out and whipped a stray drop of strawberry syrup from her chin and collar bone. Somehow managed to tuck her hair behind her ear while in the area. Blank stare. She leaned in...smelt too good. Walked away suddenly and wrench ensued.

...

9. While she slept one Saturday morning, suddenly, foolishly began pulling down the blanket slightly to see chest rise and fall. Saw an unfamiliar but incredibly sexy peak of a nipple under her night shirt. Brushed it with my finger. She stirred and sighed my name in her sleep. After dying inside, vacated with haste.

12. Woke up after falling asleep on the sofa. Noticed her tucked into my arms asleep as well. Didnt move until morning. Held on tight and pretended to sleep when she finally got up herself.

18. Grabbed her ass while climbing the stairs. Claimed there was a giant spider. I know she knows that I was lying.

25. Put my nose to her neck when she was standing awfully close. Took a deep breath and shivered. Just managed to resist kissing her. Was being watched. Knew Al was watching. Told her her new shampoo smelt like mom's...the only excuse I could think of. Lame and creepy.

33. Kissed her and held her close the night I told the family I had been accepted to study Cretian Alchemy for a 9 month program in Zolexandria. She had begun to cry. I couldn't resist. Her eyes were the size of saucers, but her lips melted like water. She tasted like cream and honey. My whole body shook in anger when I forced myself to pull back. Walked away with a promise that I would come back within the year, so not to worry so much.

36. As she adjusted my automail for a final tune up before the trip, my fingers inexplicable pulled her up by her shoulders into my lap for another long, quiet kiss. Was lucky that Granny had a phone call in the kitchen. She held a wrench in one hand and a strand of my hair in another. When she tugged innocently at me, I couldn't resist biting at her lip and crossing my arms over her back. Suddenly, there was her tongue locked with mine. My stomach was in tangles. Heard Granny's footsteps in the hall and put an unhappy end to it. Who knows what I would have done if it had continued. I was shaky the rest of the night with wanting her.

37. Proposing at the train station. I had imagined I would wait and do it when I came home. Embarrassed and brimming with energy it just spilled out of me before I could bring myself to step on the train. Hearing her accept it...I yanked her into a long embrace. She smelt like cherries and motor oil...my two favorite scents. Somehow, knowing that the next time I returned home I would be at liberty to touch her any way I wanted, made the trip a more exciting prospect for me.

/

Winry watched the train disappear behind the curve of the Rizembool cliffs. Relief flooded her and excitement pressed into her rib cage. Finally, after months of strange behavior, confusing and Elric-centric cryptic messages, he had come out with it.

He had obviously been struggling to tell her his feelings for a long time. Winry was no fool and knew it better not to force it out of him. The touches, brushes and long stares kept her awake at night with a strange anticipation...now, it was out in the open. He loved her. She loved him.

She practically ran home grinning.

She had to call Garfiel immediately and tell him the good news...he had been right all along.

What would happen, she wondered thoughtfully, the next time they saw each other? Would she be able to resist the urge to attack him with her whole body and soul?


	2. Love from a Distance

_She was so tight and wet and perfect. It undid what little resolve he had._

_Edward couldn't decide if it was the staccato gasps and moans that punctuated every thrust of his hips that he loved most, or the slight jiggle of each breast, or the sweat pooled on her upper lip that he licked away, or even the tangle of her hair in his hands. There were too many elements of this tryst to simply pick one favorite part or fucking Winry Rockbell._

_He sunk his fingers into the flesh of her thighs and lifted each leg onto his shoulders. Immediately the increase in resistance and slickness of the angle caused his amber gold eyes to roll to the top of his head. His neck could no longer support his head and bobbing ponytail and his chin bumped bluntly onto his chest. He wasn't sure, but he believed he had let out a very low growl as he accelerated each thrust into his lovers body._

_Her hands came up to caress his stomach and pinched the pink flesh of his nipples. He bent his head down to kiss those lush cherry lips and his tongue sought hers. Her hands came to his neck and her own teeth nipped at his lips. _

"_I love it when you touch me like this, Edward."_

_That was it. He exploded into her with a whimper of her name._

And then he woke up.

"FUCK MY LIFE!" he screamed against his pillow. It stunned every sense in his body to realize that the last half hour of bliss which felt so incredibly real and palpably fantastic had all been the stuff of dreams. It pissed him off so severely he thought he may rip his university issued dorm pillow. He took three long, deep breaths, and slowly his heartbeat normalized and his fists unclenched. Flipping onto his back, he allowed himself to fully calm down before analyzing the contents of yet another, Winry-centric dream.

They happened almost nightly now and had done since his arrival at University in Creta. Perhaps it was in anticipation of his graduation from the Zoelexandira Alchemy program slated for the following Saturday and the imminent return to Rizembool. Either way, he had never, ever, in his long journeys had such physical, intensely sexual dreams. Perhaps his life had been too full of real terror and stress and his body would not allow him to truly indulge in teen hormonal exercised, but now – it was in overdrive.

He missed Winry so badly it hurt. He would never have anticipated it, even in the first weeks he spent in the new city studying a new approach to Alchemy. Each week, Edward would sit at his student issued desk and write Winry a letter. This was something he had always failed to do when he was journeying with Alphonse. Now, with more time on his hands, and more emotions flooding his heart, he found that writing to Winry lessened that lonely feeling he felt at night when he wished she was laying there next to him.

"The Cretians are an interesting people." He wrote one evening… "I have learned a lot here about alchemy's use for the generation of horsepower for machines, such as cars and boats and other forms of mechanics. You would love it here! I think perhaps that after you and I are married, we should visit together so you can see the perfect union of alchemy and engineering – the Cretians are our kind of people!" He chuckled too himself. He found that all fear and embarrassment had vanished now that he had finally confessed his feelings at the train station – and he could write frankly about his intentions and his feelings.

"We have a history together." He wrote not long after the above letter, "One that I am so happy to share with you – but I want to write a future. I dream about you a lot. I feel like I have a lot of lost time to make up for. I see the possibilities of not just a marriage, but a family."

Since when had he become so sentimental?

Perhaps it was the Cretian landscape. He had befriended many students and even other teachers here. Apparently, he was very famous the the alchemic, academic fields, even as far out west as Creta. He was a celebrity which made him instantly likable, but little did he know that most of his newfound friends were surprisingly genuine. The Cretians were very romantic by nature, their culture very much founded on art, singing, poetry, and creation – perhaps that was why they were such imaginative engineers and alchemist.

He loved Cretian culture and was surprised at how at home and natural it felt to be a part of this very decadent but lively part of the world. In his 9 months away from home alone, Edward had discovered the romance of not just women, but wine, food, and a few beautiful words spoken. He saw that there was a whole new way of appreciating the evolutionary advancement of humanity than not just science. He wanted Winry to see it too.

Winry was the phantom behind his eyes and he longed for her. The Cretian music that played in the dead of night from the streets created a perfect environment for longing dreams. Edward would pull out the letters he received in return from Winry quite often after the dreams and read them over and over with a smile.

He knew that the minute he saw her, he would not be able to stop himself. He would take her and marry her and they would come to Creta for a holiday. Then – he would start his academy together and Winry would be his wife.

It was a fantastic Dream.

One more week. He would be sad to leave Creta, but knew he would be back and this time to introduce his bride to his friends. Things were going to be very different when he returned to Rizembool. Every time he returned home, there was some kind of evolution that made him a completely different person. A new interpretation of Edward Elric. But, the next chapter, he would finally become the true man he wanted to be. A brother who kept his promises, an alchemist who worked for the good of the people, and a lover and husband to the woman he had always loved, but was just now understanding how much.

/

Winry could not believe Edwards letters. It was like a different person on the other side of the pen. She had spent many angry adolescent years with worry and anxiety due to never hearing from the borthers…and now, inside her bedroom nightstand was bursting with the most sincere, honest, and heartfelt love letters she had ever read in her life.

Her replies were always full of joy and excitement – counting down the days until he would finally be back under the same roof once more.

Then, there were the dreams…

His hands would be steady as he peeled off the layers of her clothes. She would shiver slightly when the cold air kissed her flesh and bush as his eyes drank in the curves of her pelvis and breasts. He wouldn't say anything, but would reach out and slightly caress the slit between her legs and moan uncontrollably as her lips would crash onto his. Many times he would turn her and take her roughly from behind – the mere fact of such racy dreams alarmed and excited Winry to no end, but she found that there was so much passion inside of her form him, that she couldn't just be demure and innocent.

Alphonse returned from Xing the week before Edward was due. He was stopping for a few days before carrying on to Creta for Edward's graduation ceremony. Seeing Alphonse made Edward's return all the more real and Winry found her heart racing in anticipation on its own accord. Alphonse was brown from the desert sun, happy and wiser than he had ever been before, and Winry was thrilled to see such contentment in his face.

The night before Alphonse was due to leave for Creta and and five days before the two would return together to Rizembool, Winry pulled out an old dusty bottle of white wine from the cellar and put it in the cooler box to await the long awaited celebration party she had been planning (even since before Edward left). Alphonse watched her with a familiar kind of fondness in his eyes and waited for Pinako to walk the stairs for bed before he reached out to Winry in a small embrace.

"I am looking forward to calling you sister" he said quietly.

Winry flushed "Al! What do you mean?"

"Edward writes me too, you know." He said with a laugh, "And plus, I saw your eyes when you were bringing up the wine. Your excitement to see Ed is making the whole house tremble."

Winry smiled and relaxed, slumping into her chair. "I feel so afraid to see him for the first time, and so ready to finally embrace him too."

"It's been a long journey for the two of you too – sometimes, I forget that." Alphonse said sweetly.

"You don't mind, do you?" – suddenly Winry felt worried that the new relationship she had cemented with Edward may isolate Alphonse, whom she loved just as much, just in a different way.

"Of course not, I think I've always known that the two of you were always meant to be together. Plus, I have actually….welll…errr." Alphonse suddenly grew pink and awkward as he rubbed his neck, stalling."

"What is it, Alphonse?"

"I've actually….got….a girlfriend myself…a girl from Xing. I don't known if you ever met her. Her name is Mei."

Winry shrieked with happiness and patted her soon to be brother on the back. "Nicely done, Alphonse! " She shrieked with happiness.

"Stop it, anyway, what were we talking about! Oh you and Ed! "He said with a giggle. "So how shall we manage it – shall I bring him home on a pedestal for you? Brother should enjoy that."

The two giggled and teased much like that for the remainder of the night. Winry kissed Al on the check goodnight as she prepared to climb the stairs for bed.

"I love you Alphonse. I am so happy to see you back again. I'll never tire of it. Never forget, that you and Ed together are my family." She said sweetly, before turning to bed.

"Winry." He called after her.

"Yes?" She said turning back down to face him.

"I'll find a way to get you two some alone time…I know that Brother is anxious…is anxious to see you on his own, okay? Just be sure you are here alone when we are due back, okay?"

Winry started. What an odd thing to say – but she had to admit she was grateful. She had worried on the reunion and knew that it would be harder for her to truly show her true feelings with a nosy Pinako lurking about…

"Thank you, Al. I appreciate that."

"Just go easy on him. He's delicate."


	3. In the Heat of the Moment

It was slightly dusty in the kitchen, as if it had been a day or two since Winry or Pinako had used the table for eating. Edward let a finger lightly trace the thin layer and draw a basic transmutation circle that he knew would not ignite under his skin. He smirked and shrugged as he surveyed the empty kitchen with slight consternation. He had imagined walking into the house and seeing bright blue eyes sparkling with love and had anticipated arms around his neck pulling him into a long awaited, well deserved kiss.

Instead, he got an empty kitchen.

The morning light shimmered in tunnels of brightness and lit up sections of the room. Edward noticed a box of wrenches and scrap metal by the ice box and several sets of half-finished automail limbs adorning the cabinets. Business must be booming.

He sat his suitcase down and unclasped the buttons of his coat and shrugged it off. Al had been so strange at the station – suddenly pulling Pinako away and claiming they had a last minute errands to run. What on earth was he on about?

Where was Winry?

Edward found his patience wearing thin as he anxiously looked around for something to do. His mind was racing and he thought his stomach my burst with nerves. He had scripted his every moment during the long train ride and to have his plan so rudely sabotaged was disconcerting.

And then he heard it. Footsteps on the back porch. The Slam of the Door.

And she was there, in the doorway, a basketful of apples in her arms. She had been out in the yard, picking fresh ingredients for a welcome home pie.

It was clear she was unprepared and her face went immediately cherry pink. He loved cherries. Her lips formed a small "oh" in surprise as she adjusted to the sight of a very tall, very strong, and very handsome Edward Elric standing right in front of her, hands in his pockets and hair in a long braid.

"Winry" he breathed.

Right – the script. He must stick with the script in his head or he would loose all his courage.

Without another word he took the four steps that separated them and scooped her ups. His hands went to both her cheeks, with a slight jolt, and pulled her face to his in an earth shattering kiss.

No time for modesty or hesitation. As he had done on his journeys, Ed accepted his fate and met it full on with courage and determination.

Winry was swooning. She had never considered herself a swooner – but this was it. She was melting on the floor. Her entire model trembled, her stomach flipped, and her hands went to his waist and clung to the fabric of his shirt as he kissed her over, and over, and over again – each time slightly more roughly.

She backed into the countertop, not so much feeling it but hearing the slight thud that reverberated across the room. His hands migrated to her hair with a slight tug and he pressed his hips into her with a small moan that was barely perceptible. His tongue had come out to play and she combatted it with as much passion as she could muster – wanting him to know how much she had waited for this – wanting him to feel how much she loved him.

Words were not necessary. They had 9 months of letters exchanged that spoke for them. This was what they had been waiting for.

She pulled at his shit, releasing it from the capture of his pants. She reached for the buttons. He pulled away, but his hands went for the swell of her ass and squeezed it to him as if the world was about to end.

"Not here. Upstairs." He breathed.

"Okay."

Of all the exchanges she had imagined in their reunion…those words were not the ones she had hypothesized. But how fitting they were!

Their eyes were locked into an intense parlay. Blue reading Gold. Gold Memorizing Blue. He backed up towards the stairs, both her hands in his. They climbed, leaving his suitcase, coat, and her basket of apples in the kitchen. It seemed an instant and they were in her bedroom the door creaking closed and the air suddenly tight with excitement.

"Winry. I have never done this before. But I've dreamed about it with you since I left for Creta."

He Blushed. It was still hard for him to say these things out loud."

"Me too." She pulled him towards her bed and slightly pushed him down to a sitting position. She resumed unbuttoning his shirt.

He reached for the clasp on her cargo pants. He unzipped and tugged down revealing fleshy lace underwear which simulated the illusion of nudeness. He had always imagined pink, black, or red, but this was even more exciting. She was full of surprises.

She stepped out, and let out a shaky breath. Her hair was the next to be let out of its casing, and Ed gloried in the feel of his fingers passing through the strands. It felt like icy water. It smelt like his dreams.

He loved Cherries. She was so plump, red with wanting, and he knew she would be just as delicious.

She straddled his lap and pulled her tank top off to reveal a lacy black bra that had tiny pink hearts sewn into the center. Edward bit them with his teeth.

The kissing resume, so heated it nearly made Winry's jaw sore. Edward's hands grazed her ass and ran up her back, caressing with care the smooth milkiness of her skin. His shirt was off and Winry moved to rid him of his pants.

Then, she noticed it.

It was rock hard and straining at the fabric of his pants. Winry had seen Edward's penis only two times before (both of which he was completely unaware.) And now, she was given liberty to not just look but touch it. She felt wetness pool in between her legs.

She looked up at him as she pulled down the zipper of his pants. He looked drunk with lust and his eyes were brimming with longing. He was breathing hard, trembling even, but he seemed determined and ready to embark on this next step.

"I want you to know, I am ready for you." She said suddenly, not quite sure why she did.

"I'm ready for you."

He sounded hoarse and nearly in pain. Winry had done enough reading to know why. She pushed him all the way back on the bed and pulled his pants (as well with boxers) off in a fell swoop of hormonal aggression. She suddenly felt wild – out of control – and the thought that her grandmother and Al could return at any moment made the experience more thrilling than ever. She was about to have sex with Edward. She was about to have sex. She was going to have sex with Edward Elric. Those words she kept repeating to herself as she drank in the sight of his erect penis for the first time.

It was long and red with blood as it rushed to his groin. It seemed to reach out for her. Another look at his anxious eyes and a smile across her face, Winry reached out with her fingers and clasped it.

What she wasn't expecting was the sounds he made.

"Nguhh. Oh my go….oh, winry,, aaaah" He was so vocal and it seemed like he couldn 't control himself as Winry gently stroked the hardness of his length. He arched up into her touch and his hands reached out and clasped her shoulders roughly as she quickened her pace.

It was like her own personal experiment. She bent down and licked the tip and Edward nearly shot up in surprised his eyes growing wide like open windows. "Ahhh, Winry…don't, I won't last."

She chuckled, reaching over and leaning in to kiss him. He practically grabbed her and threw her down onto the bed under him. He sucked in the air and held her gaze for a moment before the deafening sound of lace ripping into pieces danced across the room like butterflies.

Winry started to protest but his mouth was in the way. He was kissing her like fire and rubbing his exposed penis against her in a desperate manner.

He trailed his kisses down to her bra and lingered on her belly button. Winry's hands unclasped the fabric releasing her breasts under his intense gaze. He clasped each of them in his hands and held them like precious petals that could suddenly be ripped away by the wind.

Winry rocked against him and he let out another shaky breath, her legs had wrapped around his waist as if by their own accord, and the heat between them was palpable.

"Let me taste you." He said suddenly, eyes boring into hers. It was so unexpected and the feeling of wetness between Winry's legs intensified. Her hands come to his face and she stroked the soft skin there, letting his hair down from its clasp while she caressed the skin of his neck.

"Okay."

Orgasms were a conundrum to Winry up until today. She had attempted to create one on her own, and thought she had been close, but until she felt Edward's tongue on her sensitive skin had she realized the true potential of totally loosing yourself in the person you love. It came in waves and every time he swept his mouth and tongue against her clit she thought she would break open like an egg on a skillet. It burned her up and opened her like a flower.

Edward had dreamed this too, tasting Winry in this way. Her legs were shaking and a swelling sense of pride invaded his chest as he realized he was causing her to orgasm. It was all he had hoped for as he had planned and calculated this moment. He felt like he may explode right there, watching her write above him, her face red with the heat of sex. He reached down and stroked his own member, unable to contain himself much longer.

"Stop doing that. Come here." She squeaked, and Edward realized Winry was watching him as he sucked on her clit. Whipping his mouth he crawled back to her, his hands falling into the smooth current of her hair and her legs wrapping protectively around his hips.

"Do it, Ed. Do it now." She said, her gaze intense and aggressive as she arched into his touch.

He suddenly felt afraid. After this, everything would change.

"I love you so much." He gasped as he felt himself rubbing against her entrance. His breathing was coming fast – he was nearly wheezing.

"I love you too. Now get to it." She said, her hands clasping his ass, pushing him into her as much as she could.

"Ya…ye..yes ma'am." He managed. And in one Thrust that was felt around the world, he was gone.

For 27 minutes he thrust himself in Winry – he could not quite remember all the sounds he made, words he whispered, and memories he created with his hands. Every dream he had had paled in comparison to the real thing, plunging into her in ragged movements, hearing her tell him she loved him, feeling her clench onto him as if her life depended on it.

He came beneath her. She had flipped them suddenly and rode him with exuberance. He would never have imagined it. The sight of her with her head tilted back, mouth slight agape, and hands seeking out his breast was just too much for his body to handle.

He shouted several times – if Pinako and Al were anywhere near the house – even outside on the door step, they would have heard his scream. He clasped onto her hips with his hands and held her in place while his eyes shut closed with the ball of light of his orgasm.

It was indescribable.

\\

They never went down to dinner. They slept soundly, interlocked in each others arms, all the way through it. Little did they know it would be an action they would never live down their whole lives.


	4. The Cool Off

The Rizembool watering hole had been a childhood hotspot for generations. Young children would visit it daily in the heat of summer to splash in the small pond full of cool muddy water. It was surrounded by a round lagoon like expanse of willow trees and moss. The sun was assuaged and the air seemed more breathable around the watering hole. Even parents ventured there to watch their happy kids when the weather became too hot to stand.

There were small fish in the pond as well as a whole array of amphibians…young boys and tom-boys, maybe even the childhood Elric Brothers and adamant to join-in Winry Rockbell could sometimes be seen fashioning poles out of long crooked sticks. They hoped to catch one of these very sea creatures from the pond and parade their catch to the mothers back home waiting for them. Laughter surrounded the watering hole and it was a happy place in the memories of Edward, Alphonse, and Winry. It had always been.

Now, in 1918 by Amestrian reckoning, summer was ending and the school children where beckoned back to their classrooms by day, but the heat of August had not yet broken, and September was sultry with humidity. Alphonse had returned to his studies in Xing with a promise he would return for Christmas with visitors. His two months with Ed, Winry and Pinako had been a happy and productive. Edward and Alphonse had begun to draw up their first initial plans for starting their Academy, deciding it would resemble a boarding school for those children who had no real home of their own to go to. The debate was continual as to WHERE they would establish this school and who would be their staff? Without an answer decided, Alphonse promised to think more diligently and speak to his friends in the East while Edward began visitng friends in Central and writing letters to acquaintances in Creta. By Christmas, the brothers would decide their first steps to achieve their goal.

Until then, there was a wedding to plan.

December 31st was the date set and Winry stayed busy with planning the "small" but somehow growing affair that was to be the legal union of Elric and Rockbell. She mused that both she and Edward would have much preferred an Elopement, but the family around them would not hear of it. Pinako seemed insulted by the idea, Alphonse hurt…soon letters came pouring in from Gracia Hughes, Alex Armstrong, and even Izumi Curtis inquiring as to when and where their wedding would be (perhaps Alphonse's doing?). The two caved in and agreed upon a small winter ceremony on the last day of the year. They would marry at the town hall in Rizembool and hop on the train to Creta the next day for an extended honeymoon out west.

Now that she was planning, Winry was excited to have a wedding. However, currently, it was so suffocatingly hot that she could not get much done. Sweat lined her whole body – and she had started walking around the house with an ice pack tied to the back of her neck to stay cool. She considered cutting her hair short to relieve some of the misery, but knew Edward would protest adamantly at the loss of something he deemed he could not live without…her long, blond locks.

Edward. The thought of him made her more hot and bothered as she tried to sit at the kitchen table to address in long, looping black script, her own wedding invitations. She wasn't having much luck. The air just was too thick and hot and no fan could help her cause. It did not help her that her Fiance whom she had become physically obsessed with over the past two months sat right across from her reading an Alchemy text book, his brow furrowed in intense concentration, one hand repeatedly rubbing a diminishing ice cube over his temples in an attempt to stay cool.

Her first mistake was to watch his hands. They were robust and manly and reminded her of the nights (and days) where those hands would slowly peel off her clothes, hold her close, and touch her between her legs. Those brown hands she watched rub an failing ice cube and turn the page of a book were the same hands that broke her down with caresses and pinches and built her back up with strokes and presses.

Then she let her eyes linger on the temples that had moistened from the ice which called attention to his long, golden blond hair. He still refused to cut it (now Winry believed out of an attempt to invoke his now dead Father, more than anything), but Winry was not complaining. It framed his face and grew more lustrous with age. Currently, his entire head was damp with sweat and beads of moisture danced down the curves of his neck and pooled in the crevice of his Adams apple. That neck – she had held onto it for dear life last night as he had pushed her up against the bedroom door (as soon as she had shut it), ripped her night dress off, spread her legs, and entered her will still standing.

He was an insatiable lover; sometimes rough, but oftentimes gentle. Winry loved that his moods always reflected his outpourings in the bedroom and she always seemed to compliment them perfectly herself. They had chemistry – and even she could appreciate that. She had visited Rush Valley a few times since his return and blushed to remember how she had told Garfiel every single steamy detail.

"Winry-chan! Oh how I envy your sex life!" He had said.

She blushed. It was still strange to think that she HAD a sex life and that it was a point of envy. But then again, looking across at Edward reading with such focus, his body so calm and lovely even in this heat, she counted her blessings.

But this heat!

The idea was organic and sprung from an honest deduction of the most sound reasoning.

"That's enough Edward."

He looked up from his book alarmed. His eyes tensed. "What?"

"It's too hot for this right now."

For a moment she thought he may argue, but then he seemed to remember he had a melting ice cube in his hand and that his shirt was completely drenched in sweat.

"You're right."

"I have an idea." She stood up, pulled him to his feet, and practically ran out the door.

/

"But….ANYONE could see us, Winry!"

"Schools started. We will be quite alone!" She teased as she removed her bra and shimmied out of her skirt and underwear. She expected initial resistance at first, but knew once she was naked he would follow her. He had become suddenly quiet and refusing to look back at him while exaggerating the shake of her hips; she jumped clean off the tree root and dropped four feet into deep, cool, water.

Divinity! Oh how cool and perfect the water felt. She stayed under a moment or two to enjoy the complete feeling of refreshment after blazing hours in the hot summer sun. When she re-emerged from the water she saw Edward at the tree root where she had just jumped. He was eying her with suspicion – only his shirt was removed.

"Get in you big baby!" Winry called after him as she kicked around. She swam further out towards the center of the pond and turned back to him. He had not moved but was watching her with a grin across his face.

"You look happy." He called out to her "Like a giddy mermaid or something."

"You could be happy too if you get it. The water feels fine!" She kicked up a toe.

He looked over his shoulder and the debate was final. Quickly stepping out of his pants and boxes and removing his shoes, he dived, head first to follow her in.

Winry giggled. This was like childhood almost – it took her back and felt very familiar. She remembered summers as a five year old, swimming in this lake with Ed and Al. They weren't allowed to go out as far as she currently was because it got pretty deep at the center. Yet, she remembered water fights and even mud castles along the bank. It was strange that coming here had never occurred to her before now, but it was a wonderful feeling to be back here again and whole.

She had become lost in thought and had forgotten her pursuer. She squealed as a hand yanked her under and another tickled at her waist. She fought back, trying to dunk him and the splashing and giggling echoed through the watering hole lagoon for some time before they both tired out and swam for shallower water.

When she could put her tip toes on the floor of the pond Winry stopped and lazily began drawing circles in the water with her fingers. Edward reclined and floated on the surface for a while, and both smirked in enjoyment as they just let themselves enjoy the coolness of the moment and the memories that flooded their senses.

"It's nice out here, huh, Winry." He said after a while.

"Yes. Like old times."

"Yeah." He swam closer to her and pulled her in for an embrace. She rested her nose against the crook of his neck and inhaled his scent and the surrounding aroma of fresh water and mud and grass as his arms came to wrap around her waist and caress her sensitive skin there.

He kissed her neck, then the line of her jaw. His tongue traced a line of water from her ear to her chin. Feeling encouraged by his actions, Winry pushed up slightly and wrapped her legs around his waist, the water helped support her as he now began trailing down to her shoulders and breasts.

She was starting to feel hot again. "This is something we certainly haven't done here before." She whispered. He chuckled and took a nipple into his mouth and swirled his tongue against it. It felt wonderful and she arched into his touch while rubbing her pelvis against his waist. Despite the chill of the water, she could feel him hardening underneath her rump and suddenly her heart began to race.

Yes. This is what she wanted from the beginning.

Tugging at his hair, Winry pulled his face back up to hers and bit the soft skin of his lower lip. She held it suspended with her teeth and stared straight into his eyes attempting in the best way to communicate how turned on she was (albeit telepathically). Those brown hands of her adoration came to her face and cupped her cheeks as he intensified the kiss and his tongue reached out to find hers. They moaned and groaned, more out of anticipation than anything, and Winry wiggled her hips against his, rocking a little with desire.

The water splashed with their movements and somewhere a bird was crying out in the distance. Winry was aware of those sounds as he pulled her thighs further apart, pulled her down slightly, and entered her fully in one smooth thrust.

The water made them both feel light and graceful – this was a new sensation, and Winry closed her eyes tight and held on for dear life as he fluidly began to thrust his hips against her. He pulled out as far as he could go and entered her as deep as he could manage.

Edward's toes bent and rolled into the muddy ground of the pond and his arms shook as he tried to hold her against him as he fucked her. He had also hoped this would happen from the moment she had pulled him up from the kitchen table and out the door of the Rockbell house.

But, once again, she had surprised him in locale.

"Winry, you feel so unbelievable." He whispered against her ears. He had come to realize that, although it was more physically challenging to maintain, he really enjoyed the tightness and feeling fucking while standing, and Winry was an impressive acrobat herself. She moaned against his ear, and the reverberations encouraged him to pick up the pace. In, out, in, out. Kiss and grab. Touch and taste. These simple instincts drove him mad with desire and being out in the open – in this natural environment made him feel as if he was the only man on the earth, and she was the only woman.

He let his head fall back as his blood warmed and his heart raced against the confines of his chest. She was meeting him thrust for Thrust and leveraging the angle to swivel her hips every time he re-entered her. He moaned and moaned and couldn't get enough. The splashes of water became more violent and spiraled around them as they continued to move in rhythm.

He reached one had around her and clasped onto the crook of her neck and shoulder, the other he let wander underneath the line of water and against the sensitive mount right above where they were joined together. He had become quite familiar with this area and it was his new favorite part of Winry. He began to rub, though his rhythm was erratic, due to the coiling of his own insides every time he thrust into her and she called out his name.

Winry clung on for dear life and rocked her hips as violently as she could manage against him. She whined and moaned as her orgasm slightly surfaced from beneath an unknown region of her belly. She was aware of the water slushing around their bodies with each thrust and aware of his thumb and rubbing circles against her clit with care. One look into his eyes – dark with passion was enough to undo her. She twisted and writhed against him, her shouts echoing and reverberating throughout the lagoon.

"I'm…I'm cumming, Edward." She shouted as she clawed her fingers into his shoulder. He grunted in reply, his own member throbbing within her and releasing all that pent up emotion and strain.

And with one final whimper, they both went limp in the water.

/

Later that evening, they took a bath together. Winry scrubbed the muck of pond water off his skin, and he lathered and washed the murky water from her hair. They couldn't stop grinning. Everything was still so new and every moment was meant to be cherished.

As they crawled into bed, they shared their fondest memories together of their childhood days at the watering hole. They laughed and even cried a little when reminiscing about the happy faces of their parents watching them learn to swim. Edward stroked her hair and held her tight as they talked. Soon – they grew quiet, but just before they trailed to sleep, Edward whispered against her head.

"I want the school to be here. Here in Rizembool. Near the watering hole."

"Yes." She replied, happy and edging near dreams. "I think that would be perfect."


	5. Moving Forward, Looking Back

He was practically running and Winry struggled to keep up. She would have trailed behind, but his fingers tightly clasped her wrists and forced her to practically skip up the hill. It was chilly out and the wind bit at her exposed cheeks and she regretted not grabbing a scarf on her way out the door.

"Are we going to your old house?" she wondered aloud, as they began climbing the hill just north of the Rockbell Auto Mail shop. She had crossed this path many times, but could not imagine now why Edward seemed such in a hurry to get there.

"Yes! I have something I want to show you." He was panting with excitement and his eyes were brighter than she had seen since the proposal at the train station. He wasn't wearing a coat – he should have been in this November chill, but it seemed that he did not have time to think of practical things such as apparel.

He had spent the whole morning out of the house. Winry had actually been grateful, because his presence had made concentrating on her orders difficult. He would watch her sometimes as she worked, and somehow each time he did this – the afternoon consisted of sex and pillow talk instead of the production of automail. This kept Winry in a constant state of work overload plus he was no help with the wedding plans either. Suddenly, however, he had come bursting through the doors of the house and demanded she grab a coat and follow him to an unknown destination. It was rare to see him so frazzled without good reason. Winry had initially been frightened.

She tried to pick up her pace to keep up more comfortable, they had nearly reached the summit and Winry could just make out the skeletal remains of the old burned up Elric house. There was very little left now, just the charred tree and a few blackened stones of the home's foundation.

"Will you tell me what's going on." She gasped. He finally dropped her hand and halted right at the spot where his old doorstep had been. He turned and looked out down the hill. He was grinning like a child, his hair whipping frantically in the wind. He seemed overwhelmed with joy.

Winry was confused. This was a place of sorrow. She scanned the area and saw the more recent tombstone erected in the back yard. She felt sick. She knew what was buried there – the remains of the creature Edward and Alphonse brought back, and then Edward dug back up only 4 years before. She watched him with anticipation and felt warm inside against the cold when she saw how tender and exuberant his expression was. She really, really was falling more in love with him than she ever could have imagined all those years ago on the train from central. Her heart is full.

"What is going through that head?" she asked, coming to stand next to him and looked out over the summit of the hill. From that view point you could see most of Rizembool including her own home. You could see the town, the station, the pastures, and even the small dip and mass of trees that blocked the watering hole.

"Alphonse and I will build our school here." He said quietly. If the wind had been blowing any harder, she may not have heard him. He looked down at her, his eyes golden tender and shone with a gloss of what could have been tears. "Dad…and Mom…would like that, I think."

She was taken a back at first. But the pure emotion and the profundity of his statement made her feel so many emotions. Yes. That would be perfect. She would do anything to help make his dream happen.

"This would be a great place for a school." She said warmly, taking his hand in hers.

"He turned slightly towards the plateau of the summit. He pointed towards the western end. "There, on the other side of the tree will be the classrooms and the dormitory right behind it. Over here, where we are standing, I'll build our own house. Just like the one we lived in with Mom – maybe just a few changes. You, and I, and Al and Mei can all live here together with our families, and walk over to the school to teach. And – if you want to, you can walk down the hill during the day to meet your automail customers. It's perfect."

Yes. Yes, it was.

/

Al and Mei arrived on December 1st. It was quite cold, but no snow in Rizembool and Mei seemed chilled to the bone. Her nose was pink and her fingers jammed into the warm pockets of a furry muff. Alphonse kept one arm around her and pressed her close to himself to help block her from the wind as they hurriedly walked down the dirt road that lead to the Rockbell house.

Since Edward and Winry had ditched his own welcome home party, the sparkling white wine had never been used and still sat in the ice box. As the five members of the newly forming Rockbell and Elric families sat at the table after dinner, Winry brought the bottle out and pour five healthy servings of a tonic her parents had been saving for the end of the war. It was very nostalgic and poignant to be drinking it now. Edward seemed to know how emotional it was for her as he reached over and took her left hand in his.

"Cheers to Al and Mei, to the Elric Academy of Civic Alchemy, and to a long, happy life together." He said stoutly.

"Cheers to that!" Alphonse seconded, and the whole family drank merrily together.

As the night grew more rowdy, and a second bottle of wine as opened, Winry went back into the kitchen to grab a fudge cake she had prepared for a late desert. She hoped that Mei liked chocolate! She leaned over the ice box and pulled out the cake, looking up briefly, she was startled and gasped…nearly dropping the cake on the wood floor.

In the black reflection of the window against the night sky, she thought she had seen faces…

But…maybe she was imagining things. She went back to the table and brushed it off as a trick of the eye.

In bed later that evening, as she was drifiting off to sleep, Edwards head resting gently against her belly, Winry realized what she had seen. She had seen a vision of her parents looking at her from the gloss of the window.

They had been smiling.


	6. Driven to Distraction

"Edward! Get off me, right now! I HAVE to finish this leg pivot tonight and I will NOT have you getting in the way."

The wrench fell swiftly and with iron accuracy. He let out a yelp and put a hand to his bleeding nose.

His first mistake was to decide to read his book in the basement anyway, but it had become a common ritual for him to read and plan future lessons in that location….well, perhaps it wasn't the _location_ that lured him there, but the person in it.

His second mistake was to set down the book for a while and watch his fiancé hammering and filing down flexible metal as she tried to complete her final automail order before her wedding day. She was rushed, so she was nearly frantic in her movements around the lab and her cheeks were pink with the exercise of running from one side of her workstation to the other. Edward tried not to laugh at her, as her expression became more harassed with each passing minute. She was deep in concentration and he found her focus dead sexy.

He still loved his tune ups. As a young boy and state alchemist, he had not realized truly the reasons why he got such pleasure from letting her tune his prosthetic limbs. Now, as a grown and sexually experienced man, he knew it was the closeness but also the fact that he was a part of her utmost concentration while working on her masterpieces. Even now, he found himself wishing he was scheduled for an upgrade, just to have her tinker with his leg…

And maybe a few other areas too.

His third, and perhaps last mistake, was to act on the hardness he felt expanding against his belt. He knew better than to do this; but, sometimes Edward Elric was rash and impulsive. That was what had made him such a powerful alchemist, after all.

He had crept up from behind her as she was tweaking the balance on a particularly complicated gear in the model. His breath caught in his throat as he attempted to make no sound. Reach out, he had grabbed her breasts and pulled her whole body back against his torso. He was granted 1 millisecond of paradise (feeling her plentiful rump against his crotch) before the wrench split his face open.

"DAMNIT, WOMAN!" He screamed in pain and rolled on the floor in misery. She was ignoring his agony and went back to work after a few audible huffs and puffs.

He stood back up and eyed her menacingly.

"Why did you do that!"

"Just because I agreed to marry you, doesn't mean I agreed to drop what I'm doing to play with your man thing." She said sharply, blushing at her own immature choice of language.

"_MAN,_ thing?" he chocked on the cusp of laughter, but one look at her stern glance of doom silenced the chuckle from his throat.

"YOU know what I mean!" she snapped.

"It's a penis, Winry. I have a penis."

He ducked the next wrench. He was getting better and better at that.

He caught her left wrist before she could grab a third, and pushed her roughly against the wall, flattening her with his body and silencing any new threat of violence she could muster at him.

"EDWARD!" she protested. "I said no!"

She was so cute when she was angry.

"Listen, Winry!" he said sharply. "You are stressed. I can help you with that. I've been watching you this past half hour and you are rushing yourself so much you are starting to look careless. Let me sort it out for you."

She struggled against him, attempting to tickle roughly at his hips and arm pits. He didn't flinch.

She would NOT admit that her stomach was in knots with desire. She had been horny all day and not allowed to act on it. What was WORSE, he had come down to her work area to read, and watching him sprawled out on her work bench, his shirt riding up to reveal the hair line from belly button to pants had been awfully tempting. No. She would not admit it.

"NO!" She yelled and clenched her eyes shut.

That was her first mistake.

Closing her eyes, she was vulnerable to unseen attacks, such as his lips smashing against hers and his hands going straight for the cup of her crotch. He started rubbing; and at first she tried to stop him.

But resistance was futile.

Within 2 minutes, Edward was carrying her towards the work bench, her legs straddling his body. He pushed her flat against the sterile leather cushioned table and crawled on top of her, absolutely hungry with wanting. He nipped at her lips and then trailed heated kisses from her chin to her exposed navel.

She was being rough, her nails scratching his scalp and tugging his hair out of its ponytail.

Usually he would protest. Right now, he didn't mind it.

Another 2 minutes, and he was completely naked with her mouth around his cock. He felt hot all over and realized that he might have made some mistakes in the beginning…

But the pay off was huge.

His feet arched with pleasure and he rubbed her head against him encouragingly. "That feels…so incredible" he breathed, laying back, letting her suck him dry.

Just when he felt the first pangs of orgasm, she ceased her efforts. Edward at first was in a daze and didn't realize at first that she was crawling back up his body.

"You on top," she moaned.

He wasn't about to argue. Flipping her roughly, and nearly snapping their tabletop in two, Edward grabbed her legs and securely locked them on his shoulders as he entered her. She arched into him and moaned his name, and he nearly came undone watching her face go dark with desire. He pushed himself to keep going.

He closed his eyes and thrust forward, quickening his pace, worshiping how she made him feel. Suddenly he felt something cold against his buttocks and realized that Winry HAD found a wrench, but now was using it to lightly spank his ass as he fucked her.

He nearly busted laughing, but it surprisingly felt good. He clenched his fingers around her breasts and moaned as she continued her ministrations.

2 minutes later, they were both climaxing.

The wrench finally dropped to the floor.

/

She would NOT admit to Edward, that the minute she pulled her jump suit back on and got back to work, that she found herself actually concentrating better than before and her plan to rehash the balance of the limb seemed more clear and precise. She would not admit that the short break had actually been quite welcome and productive.

Instead, she merely huffed and puffed as she resumed her frantic hammering of the metal in front of her as Edward slowly put his clothes back on and pulled his book to his lap.

However, she couldn't quite seem to wipe the smile off her face. And THAT, he definitely noticed.


	7. The Central Line NonStop to Creta

It started with a whisper.

He leaned in so close his lips brushed the delicate skin of her ear. When he spoke, the small puff of air blew strands of her hair forward and created a shiver that rand through her like electricity.

It would be crazy to try it on this crowded train. But it was their honeymoon after all…

She had changed from a wedding dress to a short white travelling dress suit with a purple silk scarf her grandmother had worn when she was a young woman. Edward had only taken his tie off. He was a little drunk after the ceremony and it seemed as if changing clothes would have been too difficult. He merely threw on his overcoat, ripped off his tie, and they had left the ceremony for the train station in a rush trying not to be late.

The party was still glowing behind his eyes. He leaned in to suggest a trip to the train car's wash room. Winry knew what he meant by the suggestion.

She had to admit, she also felt the effects of the plentiful champagne she had drunk at her own wedding reception. There was little time to eat, or even little time spent with Edward, as there were so many guests pulling her from one end of the town hall to the other. Now, they sat close together on a flat wooden bench on the train to Creta. It was crowded, for a night train, and having his legs pressed up tight against her, and his mouth on her ear, sent pangs of ice through her blood and her feet felt tingly.

"Alright." She finally breathed, feeling the thrill of youth and adventure.

Edward had travelled a lot in his youth. He was good at navigating a long train car. He held her hand as they piled through the lines of people in the aisles, abandoning their much sought after seats. Winry felt a jolt of happiness as she looked down to see their hands connected together. On his ring finger she could see the shiny gleam of his newly acquired wedding ring.

It was one of many marks on him that she could claim.

That. And that perfect, balanced, nearly undetectable metal leg.

The wash room was occupied. Winry bit her lip in anticipation and leaned a moment against the wall of the corridor. The train shook violently, and she began to wonder how they would manage it standing up in there.

After 5 minutes, Edward became inpatient and began packing the corridor. "I don't think they're coming out. Let's find someplace else."

"Someplace else?" Winry choked. "Where else on this train?"

"There's always a service closet." He grinned and winked at her, grabbed her hand, and headed back the direction they came.

They travelled to the very front of the train to the first car of passengers. At times, Edward had to shove their way through.

"God Damn these holiday tourists" He cursed once they reached the doorway to what Winry had assumed, was the conductor's car. "We gotta try to open the door without anyone noticing."

Like two children trying to cover up a crime, they leaned against the door and looked anywhere but at each other. There were at least sixty passengers on the train, and passing through an "Employees Only." Door would probably attract someone's attention. Winry was thinking of abandoning the whole affair and waiting until the morning, when they finally would arrive at the hotel in Creta, but glancing down at her recently acquired husband, she noticed that his erection was extremely noticeable, tent-like, shooting out and poking freely from the shadows of his overcoat. He was suffering.

She couldn't have that.

She saw an exposed wire from the corner of her eye in the corner, peeping out of a small whole at the bottom of the circuit breaker for the car. Without stopping to think, she reached out and yanked the wire, hoping no one saw her sudden movement.

That's all it took – the lights going out.

/

They would only have a few minutes. It turned out the car they passed into was not the conductor's but a huge storage car that held emergency rations, equipment, and a few spare uniforms for train staff. It showed how much Edward had travelled that he seemed familiar with this car's existence.

As they quietly passed through the doorway in darkness, Edward roughly dislodged his coat from his arms and tossed aside to the floor. Winry faintly heard the subtle sound of a zipper being pulled down before she felt (she couldn't see in the non-light) her husband's body press her against the wall of the car. The train shook even worse up here, and it felt as if she was being on a ship lost at sea. She clung to Edward's neck and raised her legs to circle his waist. This was now a very familiar dance, but it was their first as a married couple.

He kissed her feverishly, and his tongue encircled hers with purpose. His hands wandered her body, up her waists and across her breasts. He pulled her scarf off her neck and jammed it in his pockets. Replacing the silk with his tongue, he lapped up her scent and moaned against her. She rubbed his scalp and breathed heavily.

"Edward" she whispered to the darkness…

He grunted in reply, too far gone to speak. Her clawed for her underwear underneath her dress, pushed the silk bridal clothes aside, and thrusted himself into her depths.

The car wall was hard and unmoving against her back, but slick enough that allowed Winry to slide up and down and absorb the shock of each thrust of his hips against hers. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she dug her finger nails into his shoulders as she felt her insides wind up in those beginning signs of orgasm.

Her fingers grouped further and noticed that Ed's neck was covered in sweat. Perhaps the alcohol, the dancing, and the attempt to contain himself on the train was tiring him out – she didn't know, but he seemed in an awful hurry. He moaned and groaned as she clamped onto his member. She tried to swivel her hips but the angle made it difficult.

"Ohhh, oh, Winry – that feels so good." He grunted against her skin and kissed her quickly. He grabbed onto the padding of her ass and drpped them down to his knees and then pushed Winry down onto the dirty floor. Any other time she would have been upset to soil her white dress – but the tingle of sex and the disorientation of darkness and drunkenness prevented her from saying much now.

She resumed her leg grip on his hips and started to yelp with every thrust he pounded into her. His grunts where becoming more high pitched, a sign that he was close. She arched into him, and took her hands and slapped him to his moving ass, encouraging him to go faster.

It ended with a whisper. He sprung forward in one final, resolute thrust and his mouth hit her ear roughly. He let out a whimpered "Ah! Yes!" and collapsed his whole body on top of hers.

She couldn't help but giggle. He was utterly spent. Their marriage was consummated.

She wrapped her arms around him and brushed her chin against the top of his sweaty head. She could never express just how much this evening had meant to her. From walking down the aisle, pulled forward by his golden eyes beaming at her with pure pride and awe, to seeing her grandmother's tears as she looked out to face her wedding guests, to hearing the town mayor announce "I now present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Elric," and to their first bite of wedding cake which Winry had jammed menacingly down Edward's throat, smearing white coconut icing all over his face -The guests, especially his old military friends, really seemed to enjoy that, all of this had been a kind of crescendo of happiness that now was exploding out of her chest.

She never wanted to let go of him. Ever.

After a few moments, the lull and rock of the train car, and the warmth generated by their embrace, caused her to feel unusually sleepy. She felt dreams tugging at her eyes and slightly turning her neck, she saw that Edward, had in fact, fallen asleep as he lay on top of her. He really must have been exhausted by the day's events.

They could have stayed like that, but an alarming thump of footsteps near the car door alerted Winry to their peril. They had to get out of their before they were discovered.

It turned out that Winry had not just severed the lights to the one car compartment they were travelling in, but had extinguished the lights for the entire train. The staff could not figure out what the electric malfunction was caused by, but it was severe enough they had to stop the train at the next town's station and delay the trip until the next morning after an electrician had repaired the damage. Keeping inexplicably quiet, the married couple let the train staff lead them, and the rest of the passengers to the closest hotel for them to sleep that night as they waited for their new departure.

Winry felt guilt at first, but in reality, this small hitch allowed her and Edward to finally crawl into a bed much earlier than previously scheduled. They were dead tired, and after all they had been through, some undisturbed sleep was in order, before they arrived and continued their wild honeymoon ride to Creta. They were both asleep the minute their heads hit the pillow.

Husband and Wife.


	8. The News

"The emperor requests an audience with you, Alphonse-dono, before your departure."

"Does he?"

"Yes. He demands it on pain of certain painful death, sir."

"I see. At least I know where I stand in his graces. Not so good, it would appear…"

"So it would seem, Alphonse-dono. He was quite put out when I delivered your message."

"I wouldn't have expected any other reaction. Thank you, Mao. I will go see him now."

"As you wish, sir."

The old retainer stooped in a respectful bow and left the room. Alphonse clasped his final suitcase, fully packed and ready for the caravan, closed. He sighed and glanced at Mei who had stopped moving since the entrance of the servant. As expected, her eyes were as wide as saucers with worry and her body was as tense as rope.

"Mei, stop worrying. We knew he would not approve of me doing this. He has gotten too used to me being around because he is an old soft fart." He lifted the suite case up and deposited on the platform that was to be rolled out. It held all their luggage which was plentiful, since this was to be a permanent move for Princess Mei.

"It's ominous that he did not request my presence." She said skeptically. "Perhaps they will detain me while you are with him."

Alphonse let out a bark of a laugh, his eyes glowing. "You know that is NOT the case, Mei. He has embraced you as his family. He isn't about to go taking something like that back. He is just gonna whine and chew us out a bit. But – we are both decided."

He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder and a squeeze of the rump, and left her to her thoughts.

/

The emperor of Xing had many throne rooms and ceremonial halls for different purposes in his expansive palace. However, he preferred the outdoors and high places so he would rarely be found in one. It only took a few minutes of searching before Alphonse located him – his body guard only inches away, her face covered in a red and black mask.

He was on the roof.

Alphonse thought this extremely dangerous. Since his inauguration as emperor and ruler of Xing he was forced to wear long, velvet purple or blue robes that were at least 20 feet long (or at least Alphonse guessed). It was still an a mystery to him how anyone walked in Xing because usually there were wearing the longest silk robes that Alphonse had ever seen. Ling, the emperor, managed it though with an uncanny, magic grace. He was standing on the highest point of his palace, a small square foot of flat space where two slanting sections met. The wind whipped at his flowing clothes but still he stood steady as a rock – overlooking his people…with…a frown the size of Xing.

Alphonse balanced as best he could, sticking his arms out and walking as close as he dare. Lan Fan was motionless beside her master, her head down. The youngest Elric was afraid to speak first, learning from Xingese custom that it was rude to do so in the presence of royalty. The problem was, Alphonse could never guess how formal his friend would be, when there were not advisory eyes on them.

Ling saved him the trouble, "I hear a nasty rumor, about you Alphonse." He said quite seriously.

"What is that, my lord?" Alphonse replied.

"I hear that, after 3 years of calling Xing your home, you intend to leave it for good. Never to return."

Alphonse chuckled. "That is indeed a rumor. I do plan to leave – and for quite some time I probably will not return, but I would not guess as to nev-"

"I am not finished!"

"Sorry, my most bountiful Lord." Alphonse grinned.

There was a hint of a hesitation (perhaps there was a smile) "What is worse. I hear you intend to take Princess Chang with you on this journey…and that you intend to marry her on foreign soil without my permission. My sources also tell me that you have taken a job – a job that Princess Mei is also undertaking although it is a debasement to have a royal family member stoop to such lowly labor. I hear this job is teaching at a school in the Amestrian countryside. May I stress here, without my permission."

"I am afraid everything is true. Though, I must say, as a citizen of Amestris – I hardly need the emperor's decision to return to my own country. The emperor has never had issue with me or the princess travelling before."

Ling rocked back and forth thoughtfully in place. Lan Fan looked up for a moment to hear her master's face, which Alphonse could not see.

"That is true. But, something feels very final this time around. I have a feeling that you both will be gone a long, long while. When we see each other again, things will be very different. I cannot say I approve of Mei going with you. Is she decided?"

"Yes. She knows how important it is that she be there to instruct the young people of the world in the secrets of alkahestry. She is a master, and has a lot to give. Our school will benefit all young alchemist, from Xing as well. Mei intends to invite students from her own country and help pay for their travel to Amestris for school. This is a great opportunity for cultural and educational exchange between our two nations, my lord. Not only will there be students from Amestris and Xing, but Creta, Aerugo and many other nations. We have recruited both students and professors from around the world. With such exposure to Xing's young minds, your country will truly progress as you so wish it. We had every thought in the world of benefiting you and your goals for Xing."

"You should be a diplomat with that tongue." Ling said with a sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I have gotten used to having you around Alphonse. You have been a great advisor and friend. My court will not be the same without you." Finally, her turned to face him, but Alphonse was happy to see he was smiling.

"Not that you asked for it, but you have my blessing. Though we may be older, I feel certain we will see each other again someday. I still have a standing invitation for your runt of a brother to appear at my court."

Alphonse smiled.

"Brother's automail makes it difficult for him to cross the desert. But, I must confess there is another reason why I am anxious to return to Amestris my lord. It is also another reason, I am afraid my brother's coming to Xing will be further delayed for some time.

"And what is that?" the emperor asked, his curiosity peaked.

"My brother, well…let me be more accurate, Winry is having a baby."


	9. Olives and Cheese

The first item on Edward's to-do list was to build a crib.

Manual labor, grunt work, physical trials, chores – whatever the term may be, used to truly annoy and depress Edward. In moments when he was forced into chores by Winry or Granny (fixing the roof was one of them) he would miss his alchemic abilities most. At first, he was awkward with tools and would bumble even the simplest of menial tasks. As the years passed, things changed. Edward began to realize the value in building something with your hands – not just clapping them and manipulating the chemistry of matter, but actually crafting something with your sweat, blood, and brains. This new found respect had turned into, over time, a love of carpentry and making things himself. In a way, Edward believed that he was becoming more and more like Winry. But, he always applied the rules of alchemy even to building things with wood, nails, and hand saws. He even set up a small shop on the other side of the basement, adjacent to her work station. While she worked on automail orders from Rush Valley and other parts of Amestris, Edward worked on small items for the new house and for the soon to be erected Elric Academy of Civic Alchemy.

The new Elric house on the hill was only a few weeks short of completion. It was the first structure to be built in time for the newest member of the family. Only paint on the walls, fixtures in the kitchen and the bathroom, and a few other electrical and cosmetic orders were left unfulfilled. Within the month, Edward and Winry would move into the first floor, Alphonse and Mei (still in route from Xing) into the second.

They were busy. Deadlines to make both professionally and personally. Edward often travelled to Central and Creta recruiting both professors and students to his school. He was fully backed now, Brigadier General Mustang and the Armstrong family investing and supporting the cause with ample funds. As Edward gathered wood from the shed and rearranged his tools on his work table, he mused that his firstborn child (was it a boy or a girl?) would probably be a toddler beginning to walk around the time the school was finally ready to open. But the long wait and hard work would be worth it, in the end.

Now – to the crib.

He was building it from with mahogany wood and had bought, in town, brass knobs for the four posts. He was thinking of putting wheels at the bottom in case they wanted to move the crib around the house. At the thought he had a vision of working on lessons and wheeling (the girl or boy? Really, what IS it?) the little Elric into his study to nap close by. The vision made his stomach churn with excitement and pride. He thought that he loved Winry to the point of pain – and he did…but there was something about this little idea of a baby, a baby that came from himself…a true human transmutation and creation, that made him love it more than pain. He loved his baby beyond comprehension. Edward always liked to measure things in order to better understand them. This. This he could not measure.

He was nervous as hell.

Winry had just started to show in the past couple of days. For weeks she looked as she always had, slender and curvaceous. Now, there was a little balloon at her navel that was cause for the buttons of her pants to not fasten (easy access, Edward mused to himself). Winry commented that she would need to go buy new clothes, and soon. With this revelation, and a true study of his wife while she showered the morning before, solidified the reality that Edward was going to be _a father._ He was jittery all over.

Was this what Hohenhiem felt? Is this what his mother had felt when he was that still same small idea and presence not yet realized? Is this love that he felt now…and fear…the reason why Hohenhiem had left them? Edward, who thought he had come to understand, realized – he had not truly felt for his parents as he did now preparing to be one.

The best way to deal with these jitters…well, that was to take action.

Back to the crib.

Everything was assembled and he began working. Winry was in town with her grandmother shopping for maternity clothes so he was quite alone. He drew a quick sketch of what he wanted it to look like (the first draft having dragon and devil skulls embellished and engraved on the cribs rails – just for old times' sake) and did some schematic work to see how he would manage turning something two dimensional into the real world…without alchemy.

Edward loved a challenge.

As he worked, he daydreamed about the day he would hold his child. He had read a lot about pregnancy and the human body after childbirth a lot over the past three months. He played out the day of labor in his head and how he would prepare for it. Maybe he should go ahead and pack their suit case now so they wouldn't forget? Maybe it was too early. What would he do if it was a girl? Edward had no clue how to raise a girl. Well, he didn't know how to raise anything, but at least a boy he could talk to about manly things and teach how to fight. Well, he could teach a girl how to fight, but the thought of her NEEDING to fight made his chest hurt.

He was shaving down the posts now, he had to concentrate in order to get the spiral of the rails just right.

It was amazing to him that he as having a baby at the ripe ole' age of 21. He would be a young father and the logical thought was, was that he couldn't possibly be ready for it. Edward knew the truth though. He was an old spirit. The experiences of his life made him wise. He was always a head of his time – working a job most adults wouldn't be able to emotionally handle at 12 years old. A baby at 21? No problem.

But why was he so scared and so happy all at the same time?

When he felt like he might panic, he let his thoughts float to Winry. She was so calm and collected – as if Motherhood was her calling. She continued to work and act normally. She was practical. Yes, there were times she got a little emotional, but overall, pregnancy suited her. She literally sucked all the air out of the room when she entered it. Edward, even as an immature 15 year old, always know Winry was a beautiful girl. But something was different about her now. She was holding a life in her body and it made her electric with beauty.

It was also entertaining, as cruel as it sounded, to hear her reactions to the physical toll of the pregnancy. She craved the oddest foods at all hours of the night. Edward was surprised he even found the energy now to work on the crib, seeing as he was woken up 2 separate times in the middle of the night with the strangest requests. Recently, her craving for green olives wrapped in slices of white cheese were the talk of conversation.

She would have waves of nausea in the evenings (which was odd, because Edward had always heard it called "Morning sickness.") Edward tried to be there for her and pat her back but it turns out he always got swatted a way like an annoying fly. She was always so cute when she was annoyed…well, even when she was throwing up too.

Edward mused how they had discovered the baby's existence. She had thrown up three nights straight and was having trouble standing without feeling wobbly. It was funny now, but at the time, Edward was truly concerned. What if he lost her? What would he do? Could he endure that pain. He was pretty sure he couldn't.

But then, as they both were sat in the Doctor's office, expecting the worst, the truth behind the nausea was revealed.

And then he did something very embarrassing in front of everyone….he had cried.

Far from tears now, he sanded the baseboard that would be the support of the crib and heard the basement door open and clothes and familiar footsteps climb down the stairs.

He looked up from his work, and their she was. He little round belly just barely protruded from her whit tank tube, and the extra material of, what Edward assumed was a new blue skirt, cradled the round basin of the bottom of her tummy. She was four months along and glowing. His baby was in there.

"I see you started the crib. It looks great!" She remarked as she went straight to her work bench to check on the items she had left behind. She gave him a warm smile as she fingered through some tools. Edward began sweeping up the stray strands of wood that had littered the floor as he worked. He could smell Pinako starting dinner upstairs.

"I should finish it tomorrow. How was town?"

"Bustling as always. I found a few things for me and the baby!" She said happily.

He set the broom down and came over to lean on her work bench, his legs crossing in front of him and his arms bent back to support his weight. "Baby clothes?" He asked.

"Yes. I also found a perfect soft pink blanket for her."

"HER? PINK? WHAT?" He jumped with a start.

"Gotchya! I knew you wanted a boy." She giggled and came to face him, her mischievous side out to play.

"Devil woman." He muttered, resuming his relaxed pose. They stood and stared at each other for just a moment, slight smirks dressing their faces in a hint of a laugh.

"I feel incredibly horny tonight, Edward. I think it's the baby."

"That's…weird." Edward remarked his eyebrow arching.

"I don't understand it either. I've felt it all day. I think my hormones are all out of wack. I have been on the brink of tears one minute, and wanting to find you and fuck you the other." She crossed her arms and sighed. "It was that sort of attitude that got us in this pickle to start with.

"Hey now! What do you mean pickle!" He demanded with a flash of anger.

Winry smiled and leaned in for a brief peck on his lips. "I am just playing with you, Ed. Stop being so jumpy."

"Well, maybe if you're good, I can help you out with your problems."

"Define good?"

\\

After Dinner, Winry went upstairs to take a long bath. The hours of shopping on her feet had made her sore and tired. Edward helped Pinako clear up dinner and took a brief walk around the hill to see the latest construction on the house. He lazily strolled through the ground that was being cleared for his school and enjoyed the view of the sun sitting behind Rizembool like a phantom.

Yes. It had been worth it.

When he made it upstairs to find his wife, she had already left the bath and lay in bed reading an automail manual. Edward closed the door behind him and joined her, spooning her in the cradle of his arms, relaxing into the soft feeling of her skin. He let his left hand lay softly on the small bump of her stomach. He couldn't feel anything moving their yet, but soon, the baby would be developed enough from him to feel kicking and maybe even the heartbeat. He nuzzled Winry's neck and sighed.

"Did you ever imagine we would be like this, when we were kids? She asked softly in the low light of the room.

Edward thought a moment. "I don't know what I thought as a little kid. I guess I thought about this stuff when I was a teenager though. Never admitted it to anyone though."

She hummed happily, shifting slight to rest her head on his elbow and pushing her backside to fit more securely in the cradle of his hips.

"Will we be good parents?" she asked.

"I hope so. I think so. Our baby has a lot of people to support and love them."

"I love you, Edward."

"I know." He squeezed her tight to his chest. He let his hand rub comforting circles on her belly, then her waist. She took the moving hand into her own and placed it on her breast. Edward chuckled. "I feel weird doing it now that I know there's a little kid in there."

"Get over it, softy."

She turned to face him and planted a wet, heated kiss on his lips. There was a brief struggle for dominance, but as usual, Winry won and pushed her husband flat, straddling his hips and holding his arms down at his sides – a little too rough.

It had been almost two weeks since they had last made love due to being so terribly busy – and Winry being so nauseated in the evening. She felt fine tonight though. She trailed hot kisses down his neck and rubbed her hands up and down his torso and arms, relishing the feel of him.

"You looked so gorgeous building that crib." She mused against his lips.

"You think so?" He remarked, amused.

She pulled at his pants – he helped her remove them.

Winry knew Edward was dead tired (waking up at all hours of the night to get her food and working all day) but he still had the energy to be completely hard as a rock and ready for her.

She liked it.

She took all of him into her mouth – as comfortable as anything. She lazily sucked and played with the reason for her current condition and gloried in the soft sounds he was making from above her. His eyes had closed and his head was tilted back. Winry realized that he probably needed this just as much as she did.

She quickened her pace, and he brought his long hands into her hair and rubbed her scalp – encouraging her further. He whispered her name, and that anxious and wet feeling she had been feeling all day between her legs intensified. Winry loved it when he said her name.

He was coming undone now, she could feel it in how tense he was, and the arch in his back was widening – his breathing rough. He was so incredibly sexy. Winry remarked how powerful he seemed in these moments and how surreal it still felt sometimes that he was hers.

She pulled up and they locked eyes again – lust for lust. He sat up and took her face in his and kissed her soundly. Winry turned with a wink. "We better get used to doing it this way – soon I'll be too big for anything else."

Edward nearly came right then as he watched turn on her hands and knees and stick her ass right in the air, opening up for him.

He knew there was a reason he married her.

He steadied himself and placed both hands on the small of her back – he entered her slowly, slightly afraid of hurting her r the baby (though he knew there was no physical way that could happen)…It felt so god damn good.

"Oh. Winry."

She bucked her hips and met him thrust for thrust. He fell forward just a little and rested his torso lightly against her back, bringing his hands to fondle her breasts from behind. He was mesmerized by the muscles along her spine and shoulders that seemed to pulse with every thrust he beat into her.

She called out his name – she moaned. She m ust be liking it to.

Soon he was losing control, and could no longer maintain a slow and even pace.

"Pull my hair." She shrieked – and all he could do was to obey. He took the long gold silky strands in his hands and gently yanked as he let himself go.

\\

Later, they lay comfortably in their afterglow, limbs, sweat, and hair intertwined in one massive heap. Winry felt sated, and surprisingly full of energy – Edward, on the other hand, felt his eyes drooping and he tried to fight the urge of sleep that tugged at his consciousness. He wished he could just lay there and watch the slow rise and fall of his wife's belly as she breathed. But he felt so dang heavy.

"Keep me awake." He whispered hoarsely.

"What shall we name the baby?" Winry asked? Grazing her fingers down the line of his jaw.

"I like Winry." He said sleepily.

She laughed. "Ed – that's MY name. It would get too confused."

"Oh."

"I thought you wanted a boy anyway."

He thought for a moment, pulling her into the crook of his neck and snuggling her close.

"Maes for a boy. After General Hughes."

"I like that too. It would be a great honor to his memory…Gracia and Elecia will like that I think."

"Yeah. I think so to."

"And for a girl?"

"Do you like Trisha?" he asked tentatively.

"Of course I do."

Edward sighed happily. He felt like he couldn't fight it anymore – his body was giving into the fatigue and dreams were forming behind his half closed eyes.

"Ed."

"Hmmm."

"I'm really hungry. Will you go grab me some olives and cheese from down stairs…"

He snapped to attention with a slight snort. "Right. Olives and cheese. Anything else?"

"Do you think we have any watermelon?"


	10. Loss

Winry woke with a start.

She had been dreaming – and very deeply too. That was rare luxury with a 4 week year old baby. She vaguely registered that it was raining outside, and that it felt chilly in the new house. She wrapped her duvet closely around her shoulders and rubbed her tired eyes until the crust of sleep had been chipped away. She realized the reason she felt cold and empty was that Edward was not lying asleep beside her. He was missing.

There was a strange heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She felt uneasy – like something was wrong. Perhaps it had been her dream? She couldn't remember.

The bedroom door was slightly ajar and Winry could see a dim light coming from across the hall –the baby's room.

She got out of bed, taking the duvet with her. As quietly as a mouse she crossed the hall into the small nursery they had set up. Baby Maes had slept in a bassinet next to their bed at first– but starting three nights ago they had transitioned the infant to his mahogany crib that his father had made him. Winry grinned as she slowly peeked her head into the room. The sight before her brought warm affection and longing into her heart – and also exasperation. Edward was holding his son close in the cradle of his arms, rocking him in the chair by the window and humming a low, soft melody. He was staring down sweetly at his son's infant face with a look of utter amazement and contentment. He just couldn't resist. If anyone has having a problem adjusting to moving the baby across the hall, it was Edward.

"Ed. If you hold him while he sleeps every night, he will never learn independence." Winry whispered softly, coming fully into the room and standing before her husband, one had on her hip.

He looked up slowly, his eyes bright. He smiled.

"I don't care." He continued to rock his son softly and gave the small back a pat of his hand. "You go on back to bed and get some good sleep. I'll feed him in an hour or so."

Winry shrugged and let out a sigh. For a moment she just watched them. Maes was snug and secure in his father's arms – the tuft of his fine blonde hair sticking up like a proto-antennae. One small thumb was stuck in the clutch of his baby lips and he was slightly sucking onto it – the beginnings of a childish habit. He looked like his father already and it made Winry feel out of control with love. Edward grinned as he watched his wife's face soften. He knew she couldn't be mad at him for something like this. Well, at least not yet.

"He likes to hold onto hair." He whispered, looking back down at his son. "It kinda hurts"

"I know." Winry replied. "He'll just get stronger. You and I will need to start tying our hair back when we feed him.

"I don't mind it."

At that moment there was a loud slam from the living room. Someone had rushed into the house and not given a care as to how loudly they did so. The sudden noise woke the baby, and Ed scrambled to soothe him as a large wail escaped his tiny mouth.

"What the FUCK!" Edward cursed – and then immediately regretted it….he was going to have to start watching his mouth before his son could understand him.

"I don't know!" Winry cried worriedly and rushed from the room.

It was Alphonse. As they rushed to the dark living room to find the culprit of the sound, they found the youngest Elric shaking and trying to catch his breath.

"Al!" Winry cried coming to him and patting his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

It was when Alphonse glanced up into her eyes, sadness and concern etched in every facial muscle, that Winry realized something was horribly wrong. There WAS a reason she had woken suddenly and felt that sinking feeling in her gut.

"What is it?" she said – panic etching her face. She heard Edward come running into the room, holding the crying baby, slightly bouncing him in his arms to try and get him to quiet.

"Winry." Alphonse breathed, his eyes meeting his brothers for only a hair of a second. "Winry. It's granny."

"She's…Winry, She's died."


	11. Legacy

Pinako Rockbell had been a well-known, well liked pillar in her community. She had met and maintained friendships with hundreds of former clients, peers, and drinking buddies over her long life. Winry, Edward, and Alphonse had always known her as their "Granny." A slightly stooped, small old woman. Now, as the visitors attending her memorial service flooded the Rizembool cemetery, they began to realize that their "Granny" had been much more than that.

There were hundreds of people there – so many, that the group around the grave was incredibly crowded. Winry felt the odd sensation that she could not breathe, but didn't want to remove herself from the either and be disrespectful. She stared at all the familiar faces and unfamiliar faces. She saw Captain Alex Armstrong, Garfiel, and even Major Hawkeye had taken time out of her busy schedule and attended on behalf of the soon to be inaugurated Prime-Minister Mustang. So many people. How would they all fit in the Rockbell house afterwards for the visitation? She glanced at Alphonse on her right side. He was subdued, eyes downcast. She looked to her left. Edward was holding Maes closely to his chest, rocking him slightly in his arms as he slept. His eyes were unreadable. The Elrics, and Winry, were no strangers to loss.

This was Winry's first funeral in adulthood. Yes, she had encountered death too young – but this was the first time that she had ever felt at peace about it. Sadness existed in her heart and that familiar longing to see her grandmother again grew like creeping veins of ivy on and old house. It was such a shame that Maes would not get to know her like she had wanted. However, deep inside she knew that her grandmother was content in death and had lived fully with no regrets or goals left untouched. There was no tragedy here like in funerals past – but a sense of completion hung in the air. Pinako had never been afraid of death. She had aged gracefully and ever since Edward and Winry had married, seemed to know that the sunset of her life would soon be transitioning into the sleepy night of passing. She must have felt it coming, Winry mused.

Her mind wandered through her memories and lightly focused on the last time she had seen her grandmother alive, the morning before her death. She had made French Toast, bacon and eggs, and a spinach cheese quiche for her growing family who gathered in the kitchen. Winry and Edward would bundle up baby Maes and walk down the hill to greet Pinako, Al and Mei (who were waiting to move into the new Elric house after their wedding in the summer) every day for a delicious breakfast. It was becoming a daily tradition – and often times the opposite would occur in the evenings with Al, Mei, and Pinako climbing the hill to join the Elrics for a large dinner on the back porch of their new house. It was a perfect mirror image. How could they have known that that particular day would be the last?

She remembered her grandmother had been quiet all throughout the meal, and had often requested to hold Maes as his parents enjoyed the food and chatted about the school construction and Winry's impending short trip to Rush Valley to do some work with Old Man Dominic. Mei also gave the family an update on the weddings plans and happily took Winry upstairs to show her the bridal dress that had just arrived the day before. It had been a happy breakfast. The family decided to go into town to do some shopping and Pinako elected to stay behind with baby Maes. After town, Winry alone had gone back to the Rockbell house to retrieve her son. She had found Pinako holding his gently in her favorite chair.

"There you two are." She said sweetly, coming to sit on the sofa. "How does it feel to be a Great Grandmother?"

"Well, it feels like I've lived a long time." She had said, in true Pinako fashion.

There was a comfortable silence between them. "Your parents would have been very proud of you, Winry." She said softly.

"What's this all the sudden?"

"To see you successful, married and with a child, in a peaceful world…that would have made your parents very happy and proud. I know I feel very proud of all you children. I am glad that we have had these years of peace together."

"I think you have Edward and Alphonse to thank for that more than me, Granny." Winry replied.

She was thoughtful for a moment, slightly craning her small neck. "No. No I don't think so. I think the source of our good fortune comes from you and the support you gave those boys all those years ago. I am sure those boys feel the same way."

The sound of earth being piled up over the grave quickly brought Winry back to the present. She felt a few tears pool in the lids of her eyes. The thing that made Pinako so special, to her loved ones, and everyone she met – was that she reminded them of their significance, their importance, in the grand scheme of things…no matter how small they felt. She was the small fire that encouraged people to move forward.

/

Edward put Maes down to sleep soundly in his crib. He straightened up a few things around the room and quietly exited. It had been a long, emotional day. He felt tense and sad. It was hard to believe that he would never see Granny again. He wanted to find Winry, pull her close, and just go to sleep and think about it more tomorrow.

Problem was, he couldn't seem to find Winry. After searching every room in the house, she was nowhere to be found. He stepped out on the front porch and looked around the yard – the anxiousness growing in his stomach. After starring into the darkness of the hillside for a few moments, his eyes adjusting, he could make out the small white form a person walking towards the house from the direction of the Rockbell Automail Shop. Edward let himself relax a little as he realized it was Winry climbing the hill.

When she was within earshot, he crossed his arms and cocked his eyebrow up. "I was worried. I didn't know where you'd gone."

"I just wanted to go through a few things before bed." She said quietly. Edward saw she had a small box in her hands. "I found something in Granny's room. I want to show you."

They stepped into the kitchen and sat at the table. Edward wished she hadn't done that this soon after the funeral, but thought it best not to argue. He stayed silent as she opened the box and pulled out a few items.

"Grandmother has saved a lot of things. More than I think either of us realize. There is a lot we will need to go through, but this box has several special things that I wanted you to see." She pulled out the first object. It was an old handkerchief.

"This was my mother's on her wedding day. It's stained with coffee, that's why I didn't use it. But, Granny saved it for me to keep." She passed it to Edward. He held it in his hands for a moment of images of Auntie Sarah passed over his eyes. He laid it down, wondering what was next.

"This is what is left of my baby blanket. This is a lock of my grandfather's hair she saved all these years." She paused, her eyes looking up at Edward softly.

"This is your mother and your father's wedding rings."

"What?" Edward nearly choked. "My parents never legally married, Winry." She shook her head slightly and passed over two small white gold rings and placed them in Edwards hand.

"No. They didn't, but – I think they still exchanged rings. Granny labeled them." She passed over the small slip that the rings had been wrapped in. In Pinako's handwriting, Edward saw "Hohenhiem and Trisha's rings, exchanged April 8, 1895, Rizembool"

Edward felt shocked and amazed. This small little piece of silvery gold had been around his mother's fingers. A part of her still lingered around the essence of the ring. He had no memory of it.

"I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything. I just think she wanted you and Al to have them.

There were a few other important things. Al's first lost baby tooth, a necklace Sarah Rockbell had saved for Winry to wear as a grown woman, Edward's first automail thumb piece that had broken off before he had left on his journey (probably during a sparring session with armor Al). Edward was in awe of the many small things Pinako had saved. It was like a treasure trove.

It was nearly 2 a.m. before the couple climbed the stairs for bed, hands tightly joined together. They were both so tired.

They melted into bed together, spooned in a gentle embrace, Edward's breath a ghost on the back of Winry's neck.

Yes. Her grandmother had truly been a very special person.

/

It was just after dawn when Edward's eyes opened, despite the little sleep he actually achieved. It took him a moment to remember where he was and what all had happened the day before. His wife slept beside him, tucked against his shoulder, but he could tell her sleep was uneasy, she twitched uncomfortably and her eyes were fluttering as if she was on the brink of waking up herself. He glanced at the night stand to see his parent's rings sitting quietly beside him. His memory lingered on his parents faces. He then glanced at his old Alchemist pocket watch that he kept on his bedside table as a reminder of his journeys. He had a brief flashback to many years ago, when the pocket watch had sat on Fuhrer King Bradley's tea table – how he had angrily tried to thrust it aside, but then had been threatened into pushing it into his pocket once more on pain of losing Winry forever.

What a strange journey and life he had had.

He turned to face his wife, too full of emotions to keep looking at such small reminders of pain and fear. He let his arms encircle her and push her to him so that he could feel the warmth of her skin and know that she was alive, safe, and his. He knew she must be hurting for her grandmother – and this death, and funerals, the whole actions behind death would be reminding her of so many memories they all wanted to move on from. There was no such thing as a painless lesson. But, enduring that pain could still be difficult, in spite of everything.

Awake and aware now, her small porcelain arms held onto him in return, coming to rest on his back and slightly pull him until his weight rested on top of her body. He hadn't intended this, but it was right. They needed each other in this moment.

He kissed her softly – relishing in the feel of her warm wet lips dancing with his. He let one hand rest protectively on her head and the other trace the line of her jaw with the slightly calloused surface of his thumb.

She kissed back, one tear escaping the clutches of her right eye. He brushed it away and laid a kiss in its place.

Everything about this session was slow – and they took their time to feel and taste in order to know that the other was sound, alive, recovering from grief, whole. Winry trailed soft kisses down his neck and gently bit the skin of his collarbone. She let her hands linger on the scars of his right shoulder – still stark and red against his tan flesh. She offered kisses for the deep tissue damage done to his lower abdomen at Baschool. So many scars. He had surely lived a hard life.

But not any more.

Her legs opened up for him. Her fingers went to stroke that familiar pillar that she clung to. He let out a soft whimper into her ear, his hand cupping her face. He let out a shaky breath into her mouth. She breathed in his breath.

He came home to her. He is alive. Death comes and goes – but right now. They are alive.

They joined and moved in that familiar rhythm. He took both of her hands in his and pressed them against the bed sheets. She arched upwards into him, wrapping her legs firmly around his back, meeting his movements, whispering his name.

Morning was fully present now, lighting the room up and reflecting softly off Edward's hair. His eyes were closed as he moved gracefully above Winry in fluid, powerful movements.

"Look at me." She whispered, her hands still bound on either side of her head.

He opened those gold eyes, that Winry loved so much. They held each other's gaze, unwavering, umoving.

The wave of orgasm took them both in that moment – a connection stronger than life, suffering, and even loss. That moment would last forever in their memory. They held onto it.

\\

Winry left the bed soon afterwards to gather up her son and feed him before the day grew too late. Edward relaxed against the pillow, his stomach still in knots after releasing all that tension into the moment. Again, he let his eyes wander to the sight of the two ring and pocket watch on his bedside.

His thoughts of his parents, Pinako, and all those he had lost might have again turned sad and desperate, but at that moment, his wife returned with the little package of new life in her arms – the new life that he had helped bring into this world. Offering him up to his Father, Winry passed the cooing baby into his Father's arms and sat on the bed next to them. Edward looked down at that precious, familiar face and all worry and sadness left him in a great sigh. There, in his arms, was the legacy of Hohenhiem, Trisha, and Pinako Rockbell. Their bloodline had passed into this little thing and it was now his responsibility that the lessons and values they had taught to Edward, Winry, and Alphonse be passed down to him

"He is just so beautiful." Edward whispered.


	12. The Speech

It was a very important day.

Anybody would be able to see it by merely observing the bustle of the streets, the sign erected in welcome at the train station, and the hotel staff of Rizembool's one and only 30 room hotel hunkering down and preparing for some anticipated D-day event. This event which currently held the town in utter suspense, was the arrival of a very important group of people. The Prime Minister and many other influential people of Amestris, Creta, and Xing were on their way to Rizembool for an investors tour and information session for the currently under construction Elric Academy of Civic Alchemy. Above the town on the small hill on which this soon to be school stood, there was an equal rush and hub-bub. Edward and Alphonse shouted orders and signed many papers as they prepared for their guests and the long awaited Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Once the ribbon was cut, the school's main construction phase would commence and the true birth of the Academy would occur. Currently, only the ground was churned up and a few foundational blocks of cement and brick had been prepared.

Winry was given full authority over the formal reception that was to follow the ribbon cutting and tour. This banquet style event would be held on the lawn of the Rockbell Automail Shop under the soft light of hundreds of gas lamps that lined the ground. In addition to this monstrous event planning, Winry tried to aid in any other way she could in the preparations. She had bought a beautiful long, royal blue evening gown that opened in a concave shape to reveal her slender back for the occasion. She had it hanging solitary in her bedroom with large round sapphire ear rings Edward had bought her especially for the occasion. In all her 22 years, never had anything like this ever happened in Rizembool. She was so anxious for Edward that her stomach was in a constant state of butterflies.

Edward was focused. He had planned this day meticulously and Alphonse kept assuring him that all would go smoothly. All their staff had been hired, their lessons and curriculum planned and published. All that was left was to build the buildings that would house the principal of alchemical learning. The school had recruited 36 promising pupils to begin lessons the following year. As far as his guests and investors, he knew that every single person on the school's newly formed "Board of Trustees" was a friend and comrade from earlier times. They believed in what the Elric brothers were doing, yet, he still longed to exceed every expectation. This was the beginning. After this, the school would truly be a reality.

He gave one last look through of the final guest list before going out to meeting the building engineers to finalize walk-through preparations. It read:

**Open House Invitational Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Elric Academy of Civic Alchemy Guest List**

_Prime Minister Roy Mustang and his Staff (Major Riza Hawkeye, Lt Colonel Jean Havoc, Second Lt. Kane Fuery and 7 other key body guards and officials) _

_Brigadier General Olivier Mira Armstrong and Colonel Miles_

_Major Alex Armstrong and Lt Colonel Maria Ross_

_Time Marco and Dr. Knox_

_Izumi and Sig Curtis_

_Dr. Radaghast Granger (an old professor of Edwards from Creta)_

_Gracia Hughes_

_Shoa Yung Leung (an old master of Mei's from Xing that had also become good friends with Alphonse)_

Each person on this list was very important to Edward and Alphonse in some way. They had all been a part of their long journeys and had helped them achieve their goal. Even now, they were continuing to support and believe in the Brothers. Edward wanted tonight to be a culmination of his gratitude for such kindness and such unwavering belief.

"Brother! Brother! Where are you?" Edward heard Alphonse calling for him downstairs. He had been reading over his papers in his office. Baby Maes, who was now nearly 1 year old, watched his father with slight fascination from his play crib, which had, indeed, been rolled into his father's study while he worked.

"Time to go, Lil' Bit. It's nearly time" Edward said with a sigh and filed away his papers. He tried to ignore the slight ache ins his left leg (a sign that his automail maintenance was way overdue) and grabbed his tiny son from his crib. Together, they went out to begin a day that would likely be one to remember.

/

"I'd like to Thank You all for coming. For anyone who may not know, my name is Alphonse Elric. You are currently standing on the site that will become the Elric Academy of Civic Alchemy. Where we currently stand exactly, will be the location of the school's Van Hohenhiem Memorial Library and Study Lab. To your left, you can see the beginning stages of the Main Building, where most lessons will be taught." Alphonse let his hand guide the many eyes before him and continued. "Behind the Main Building, which will be called Curtis Auditorium, will be the student's dormitories. Boys will be housed on the top floor, girls on the ground floor. There will be enough for 80 beds, so there will be plenty of room to grow. We currently have 36 students aged 7-18 enrolled, half of which will be coming to us from charitable organizations and orphanages from Amestris. Four students are scheduled to arrive from Xing and an additional 3 from Creta, one from Auergo. We will be an international institution." He smiled finding the eyes of his Xingese wife in the crowd. He gave her an imperceptible wink.

"If you look to the North of the Dormitory, you will see the ground that has been cleared for our grand dining hall where our administration office will also be housed. Staff will also use this building for planning meetings, etc. Our dining hall will be named Rockbell Hall after our late adoptive Grandmother Pinako Rockbell. Also, we plan to keep the south side of the hill free of construction to allow space for a student cultivated garden. We have also used investors funds to purchase land near the campus for training purposes as well as orienteering excursions, which any alchemist knows is very important to our craft." He slightly turned to his former Master letting his head drop slightly in a reverent bow. Izumi smiled with pride at her former student who stood before them all, Flesh and Blood, delivering the information like a well versed politician.

"Our staff currently consists of 6 members: Myself, my brother and former state alchemist Edward Elric, Princess Mei Chang Elric, my wife, Dr. Tim Marco, Dr. Radaghast Granger from Creta, and Master Shao Yung Leung from Xing. We have also signed guest lecturers and professors to come on a quarterly basis for survival seminars and additional alchemy training for our students. These guest lecturers are Master Izumi Curtis of Dublith, Major Alex Louise Armstrong from Central, Russell Baggins from Creta, and Wong Sue Yao from Xing. If it would please our Board, I would like to take you now on a brief tour of the grounds, please follow me."

There was a great rustle and ripple of chairs moving and the fluster of many legs standing, hurrying for a prime place in the line. Winry held Maes tightly against her chest as she prepared to follow the group, Gracia Hughes by her side.

"Alphonse looks so natural, speaking in front of so many people." Gracia whispered as they followed the line.

"I know. It comes very naturally to him." Winry agreed with a smile.

"Winry, may I ask you something?" Gracia said, suddenly turning a slight pink at the cheeks.

"Anything, Miss Gracia." She said, stopping their progress and letting the group pass them ahead.

She seemed very embarrassed, and waited until the group of people were far ahead before speaking again.

"I'm sorry to ask you such a strange question, Winry, dear. But, this is the first time I've met the little one since he was born. I was so happy when I read your letter announcing his birth. Would it be possible for me to hold Baby Maes for a moment?

Tears began to form in the corners of Winry's eyes. "Of course, Gracia. Please, here you go." She delivered the small child into Gracia's arms. Maes didn't seem to mind the transfer, he happily sucked on his left thumb and starred up into Gracia's face while slightly kicking both of his chubby feet from side to side. He let out a little gurgle of contentment as Gracia shifted his weight across her hip. She stared into the child's face, a face that daily looked more and more like Edward, and smiled.

Winry watched the exchange as Gracia looked down at her husband's namesake.

"I wish my husband could have met you Little Man." Gracia said softly into his ear.

/

The dinner reception had begun. There was mingling and champagne, cheese and lots of catching up to do among the guests. Edward had maintained a relatively quiet profile throughout the tour, answering questions, and overseeing the events from the shadows while Alphonse primarily doled out the speeches and information. However, after dinner was served, Edward was scheduled to give a grand speech to the entire group – and for that reason alone he was terrified. Everyone had changed into glamorous attire. It was slightly comical to think that maybe 5-6 years ago the sight of a tuxedo would have made Edward sick to his stomach, and really – it still did, but he had put it on knowing the value behind wearing it at an event such as this. He watched his guests munch on their meals and talk and laugh together. He watched his Brother and Sister and Law try to make the Xingese guests feel more at home by pouring them ample "sake." Edward suddenly wished that he could disappear and just let Al do this part.

Then he turned and saw her.

It was Winry in her bright royal blue dress that fell gracefully to the floor like a cloud. It looked like she was some type of fairy sprite and she floated across the dance floor an over to where he was standing like some night vision. Her hair was wrapped in an elegant bun with tiny jewels sprinkled here and there for an extra effect. Her slender arms swayed from side to side as she neared him with each step. He forgot his troubles for an instant and just watched her in awe as she came to stand before, her cherry lips pink with gloss.

"Are you ready for your speech, Edward? It's nearly time."

He barely heard her; he was fixated on her mouth – and the slight hint of a breast that protruded from the dress's low neckline.

"No. But I'll never be so I might as well get it over with."

"I'm going to go up and get everyone's attention and introduce you, though you don't need any introduction I'd wager." She laughed, patting him lightly on the shoulder and giving him a reassuring wink.

It was worse watching her walk away. Edward saw his wife full bare back gleam in the low lamplight, leaving little to be guessed. Her ample backside danced from side to side as she walked towards the raised stage. He had almost lost himself before he realized where exactly it was she was going. Then, the guests became quiet, Mustang sat down and motioned the rest of the group to follow. Eyes turned towards Winry and Edward knew it was finally time for him to address his investors.

"Good Evening, everyone. My name is Winry Elric and I am here today to introduce to you…" She smiled and locked eyes with Edward as she spoke. Edward began to perspire and quickly started muttering in his head the speech he had prepared but found that he had completely forgotten it. Terror, pure and unadulterated terror took him then, and whatever his wife was saying now, he had no clue. Time sped up at an alarming rate and before he even had collected one thought, the room was filled with applause and all the eyes had turned onto him, nearly robotically, Edward willed his limbs to move towards the stage. He kissed his wife quickly as she passed over the podium; he looked out over the crowd of people, and took a breath.

"Hello." He cleared his throat. "Hello, everyone. I'd like to thank you all for coming today. Your support has been…." He paused, looking down at his hands…his two flesh, blood, and bone hands…

"When I was a young boy, I was arrogant and rash and stupid. I studied and loved Alchemy because it was a source of happiness and pride for my mother. I didn't think much as to why I was able to transmute matter or manipulate the chemistry of things – but I merely did it for the praise I received after the fact. That's why we do a lot of things, I imagine."

He looked down at the crowd. He found his brother's face – his own gold eyes staring back at him. "I learned my lesson though. I had to do it the hard way. I hurt the people I loved most, because I was too focused on the rewards of alchemy…and not its true purpose."

"There is no such thing as a painless lesson. They just don't exist. To learn anything, you got to hurt and hurt deep. Alchemy demands that of us. When I was a kid, I didn't really have anyone to teach me that. I didn't have anyone to teach me that Alchemy is about living in the moment and appreciating life as it stands…and not how we want it to be."

"Alchemy, or what we understand of it, is based on Equivalent Exchange. Or, that is what I used to think. After learning the Truth, I realize now that the Law of Equivalent Exchange is actually a smoke and mirrors…it's the alchemist pride that would think in terms of 2+2=4.

"You might ask how I've come to that conclusion, but my experimentation and my proof is here in this room. Everyone in this room has given me and my brother something very special. Without any thought of reimbursement, you have give your time, your support, your money, and for many of you – even your blood, to see us succeed and reach our goals both past and present. You gave to us without any sacrifice on our part. We have received something very precious. We have received more than what we have given from all of you in this room."

"It is my duty then, to continue that principal and give back to our community by sharing Alchemy as it should be – for the people and for the good of understanding our world. Alchemy requires us to be unselfish, thought it is very tempting to use science for aims that are self centered and evil. We have all seen what the world looks like, using that kind of Alchemy. Alphonse and I, and all of our staff, are here to help that never happen again. We are here to make the world a better place and you are all making it possible.

He took a breath, sweat dripping down his neck. He found Winry's eyes. She had tears shining behind them. He smiled.

"I look at my wife now and I think about our son. After everything that has happened in my life I still believe that in spite of everything, people are truly good at heart. I believe that I still have a lot to learn about the Truth. I believe that I am going to learn as much as I'm going to teach.

I want to say to all of you Thank You for enduring the pains of alchemy and realizing the importance of what this school will achieve. Perhaps together we will build a better society – a place where Alchemy can be used for the good of the public, and to save those that have been hurt. I want to teach our Youth that there is more to Alchemy than just the laws of Equivalent Exchange. I thank everyone for joining me in that mission."

/

"Edward Elric! My heart weeps for you! Oh your speech was so inspirational! Oh!" Edward winced as he was crushed into a bone wrenching hug between Major Armstrong's beefy arms. "Truly fantastic, such words of encouragement!"

"Alright, Alright, don't blow a gaset Major." Ed whined, trying to separate himself from another cloying guest. "Have you seen my wife anywhere?"

Armstrong used his considerable height to survey the surrounding crowd.

"She's over there, sitting at that table." He pointed. Edward stood on his tip toes trying to find the point at which Armstrong was referring. Winry stood a little a part from the dancing, celebrating crowd, drinking a glass of champagne, her hair slightly falling out of its bun as the night carried on.

"Thanks."

Ed made straight for her. Since he gave his speech, he had tried to get her alone, but was bombarded with too many hugs and hand shakes for his taste. He was thwarted at every turn. Now guests were beginning to head back to their carriages and cars, saying good bye, and heading back to their hotel. In this quiet time, Edward finally was able to have a little peace.

"I liked your speech." She said, as he came to sit beside her at the table, drinking the sight of her in that beautiful blue dress.

"Thank you. I totally don't remember any of it." He grinned and scratched his head.

"Oh well."

"Where's Maes?" Edward asked.

"He is with Miss Gracia. I set up a guest bed for her in the nursery. She offered to watch him tonight for us." She rested her head against her hand, starring at Ed with a fond smile. "You sure do clean up nice, Edward Elric." She said, her eyes dreamy.

Edward blushed. "You too. I think you're drunk."

"Yeah. I am." She replied with a laugh. They stared at each other for a moment. Edward faintly registered that the music was still playing, despite only two or three guests remaining.

"Would you care to dance, Winry?"

"I'd love to.

\\

Within minutes, they vacated the dance floor an hurried into the shelter of the Rockbell Automail shop/former home, and hurried to the basement –their old haunt. Edward locked the door to ensure they would not be disturbed. Edward turned on the old lamp by the door that gave out just enough light to see your surroundings, but not enough to banish the beautiful shadows of night and the mystery of that mesmerizing blue dress.

He was slow about removing it – because she looked so damn sexy in it, that he didn't want to spoil the moment. She seemed to be thinking the same about his Tuxedo, and every move was deliberate as she rid him of it.

It was funny how things changed but managed to always stay the same. Winry remarked that Edward felt different as he entered her this time, but everything –their surroundings, their movements, where so familiar. Perhaps it was the purpose behind everything he did now, the sense of responsibility and love. Winry couldn't not place it. But as he kissed her softly and held her tightly within his embrace, Winry truly felt that Edward had become a man. A man that she loved and who was changing the world with his passion for justice and life.

Afterwards, they walked up the hill to their home, hand and hand. The party was over. The day was over and had been a success. Tomorrow, construction of the Elric Acadmey would continue. Their lives would continue. But Winry would always remember the moments of that day close in her heart. Gracia Hughes holding her son, Edward smiling at her as he saw her in the blue dress, and the words he had spoken at that podium, the love he had made to her in the quietness of the night.

Life was beautiful.


	13. The Conception of Trisha Louise Elric

Today, Edward was sleeping in and nothing could stop him. For the past 3 months he had risen with the sun to ensure that every ounce of the day was used for work, Winry, Maes, or household chores. Not today. Today, even though the sun was up and blaring it's gaseous lights down on the earth, warming the plants – providing energy for all the growing life, Edward was still wrapped in the cozy warmth of his duvet comforter, refusing to open his eyes.

Ed would just have to trust that Alphonse and Mei could handle the day's tasks and that Winry would rise to care for toddler Maes, who now was walking, or waddling, through the house like a chibi tornado. His body would not move an inch; it had transmuted itself into heavy cement and weighted down the bed like a stone.

Yes. Today was his day to relax and sleep as long as he wanted.

He dozed for a few moments, half way waking just to tell himself he could go back to sleep. He stretched out on his back, letting his arms rest behind his head. He was glad Winry talked him into buying a more expensive bed. Man, was it comfy.

Today was his day. Yes. He had given his all for 90 days, and according to Equivalent Exchange…

Soft, ghostly hands caressed the toned muscles of his arms and shoulders – they trailed a path from collarbone to wrist, and back up again.

_What do we have here? Do I get to have my cake and eat it to?_

Still, Edward did not open his eyes. He let the feathery fingers dance across his belly, softly curling the short hairs that trailed from navel to shorts. The pressed slightly into the flesh of his hips and turned to caress the round bulge of his thighs and back to his arms.

Edward willed the hands to return to the thighs, but rather than caress the source of his building arousal, they pressed and worshiped the skin of his elbows, pectorals, arms. The lightly lifted both hands and the two pairs kissed like star crossed lovers.

Still he did not open his eyes.

The hands suddenly lifted his own upwards and out and in a moment, Edward realized.

He had suddenly been restrained.

Edward's eyes finally shot open in wide amazement. His wife stooped over him, completely naked, her hair down washing the skin of her back like a rain of yellow honey. For a moment, no sound came out of Ed's mouth. He was too shocked. She had somehow managed to handcuff his hands to the posts of his bed.

"uh…Winry?" He finally managed, eyes blinking in stunned amazement.

She put her finger to her lips in a sign of "be quiet" and stood on he bed over him. Edward could see everything – the soft moist cavern between her legs, the goose pumps on her belly, the plentiful bounce of both breasts. Never had she done this before…and the look on her face was dangerous. Edward found every ounce of blood in his skin racing to his penis.

"What are you…"

"I said, be quiet, Ed." She said flatly. "Today is for you."

She lowered herself and straddled his legs. Leaning down, she brought her cherry pink lips down and licked the skin of his hips, and traced the bony lines of his pelvis. She laid light feather kisses on his navel. She blew hot steamy air on his dick.

He was trembling all over. Watching her with shaky exhales peppering the room. What had gotten into her? Now that he was restrained, he had a violent urge to touch her – to lay his hands all over her. His aggression and frustration just made him more turned on.

After a few teasing licks and nips, Winry finally took the monolith of skin and tissue into her mouth – his monstrous member pulsed and throbbed as she gently sucked and taunted. She locked eyes with his. Blue teasing Gold. He grunted.

"I don't like this. Want to touch you." He gasped against the unsympathetic air. She ignored him and continued her ministrations.

He tried to kick a leg out, but her whole center of gravity was fixated on keeping him pinned. She brought one hand to cup his balls, the other reach out and pinched his right nipple.

"AHH! OH, FUCK." He yelled, pleasure indescribable. He hoped his son was NOT nearby, he had taken to repeating everything his father said these days.

She continued on, taking her time. It felt unbelievable, and his heart was thumping alarmingly hard and fast against the cave of his chest. He was so close to coming, but so frustrated that he couldn't reach out and grab her, that he never quite got there. Moans and please for release fell on very deaf ears.

She raised up, licked her lips and winked. She let her hands continue their exploration of his body, looking down on him with every ounce of lust Edward had pulsating through his veins. Perhaps, for her, this was an equal torture – Winry liked to be touched, to be held, and to not allow him release extended the thrill for her just as much as it did for him.

She raised her body up. She raised it back down, and took all of her husband's length into her body. His back arched, he cried out in a desperate plea. "Please." "Please, Winry."

This was too good to quit now. Slowly she rocked, as gentle and as deliberate as an autumn morning. All he could do was helplessly watch and feel the tension grow inside of him. The feeling of her enclosing his member was explosive – she was so tight, so mercilessly tight – and he felt every flutter of her inner muscles, every clench of her domination. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. He physically pulled at his bonds, straining against the cold metal.

"Please. Please let me touch you." He cried as her rocking rhythm accelerated. She put both her hands flat on his stomach to better support herself. She bounced, her hair slowly moistening with sweat. She let out a long growl and moan, her head falling back.

This was ridiculous. This was worse than any other torture he had ever endured, and he had gone through a lot in his life.

"Winry! Let me touch you!" He yelled, jerking his whole body upwards in an attempt to break the handcuff chains. "Please!"

She finally relented. Reaching forward she pulled the key out form under her pillow – and released. Him.

He smacked her ass with both hands, pushing her hips down onto him as roughly as he could without bruising the skin. In an instant he had her pinned and growled something fearsome. Reentering her, he took her face in his hands and planted a rough kiss that turned into a bite on her lips and thrust into her at a pace that was desperate, heated, fast and rough. They both let out a scream of pleasure and relief, now able to truly embrace each other fully, here at the end.

It only took a few minutes, they were both so turned on and the came in unison – their thrusting halting in a deafening moment of rage.

Edward collapsed onto his wife, breathing – no wheezing, as hard as if he had ran a marathon, battled Pride the Indolent, or swam the length of an Ocean.

"Wahh….Wahh…WHY did you do that to me." He moaned against her shoulder, slightly turning his head to look her straight in the face. Winry had a light sheen of sweat that decorated her face, and her breast heaved as she sucked in all the air she could in gulps.

"Because, stupid. It's your birthday."

\\

8 weeks later, Winry found herself back in a very familiar spot. Edward had taken Maes to the watering hole for his very first swimming lesson with his Uncle Alphonse. She and Mei had been chatting in the kitchen over tea, discussing the approaching arrival of the Academy's students only 3 weeks away. The nausea swept over her like a phantom and settled in the center of her throat. She rushed to the toilet and let out a bountiful amount of vomit.

She had felt this feeling before. He hand went instantly to her belly in a protective gesture.

"Again?" she wondered aloud.


	14. Blood

Being 8 months and 1 week pregnant was not about to stop Winry Rockbell from serving her clients. She may feel as if she was the size of a planet, that her feet were as wide as logs, her back was as sore as an old woman's – but that would not prevent her from acting as she had always acted and doing the things she needed to get done.

However she couldn't lift what needed to be lifted.

Luckily for her, Edward had written to Garfiel in Rush Valley and it apparently had done the trick. On a Saturday, when all the students and teachers of the Elric Academy of Civic Alchemy (now open and in session) had the day off, Edward surprised his wife by delivering her former mentor and boss and one straggler, Paninya to help her with her work in the last weeks of her pregnancy.

Now, she still was able to do all her administrative work, see patients, design new pieces, and do minor tinkering that didn't require she use any physical strain. Garfiel and Paninya stayed in the old Rockbell house and helped Winry in any way they could, with much jest and taunting – as Garfiel was prone to do of anyone _MALE _in the area. This also allowed Winry extra free time with Maes as well as walking the hill at lunch to visit the school and spend time with Edward.

In the six months since the school's opening, Winry had become very attached to two particular pupils. They were the only pupils with automail – something she had not thought of originally when Edward had started recruiting students. One pupil was a young man, name Lear, who had lost his left leg during the riots in Liore. Now, at 15 years old, he reminded Winry uncannily of Edward with his massive sense of ambition, purpose, and love of fighting. He had jet black hair and was tall and lanky – that was the only real difference between Edward and this boy. Winry had replaced his leg for him within his first week at school. Due to his family not having much, or any money, he had been outfitted with very cheap automail that had already begun to rust despite only being a few months old. Winry corrected that for him for free.

The second pupil with automail was a young 12 year old girl named Clarissa. She was an orphan and had grown up in a very violent home. Edward, Alphonse, and Mei had tutored and counseled her individually since she had arrived and said she was recovering from a great emotional trial, but that she would not reveal the circumstances of losing her right arm. Edward suspected human transmutation, but the young girl still drew her alchemic equations as everyone else did (perhaps to hide what she had done). She was quiet, timid, and almost afraid of other people. However, as soon as she had met Winry, seen her growing belly, and learned that she could outfit her with new, better automail, her shell cracked open.

On this particular day, Winry had just finished consulting with a client from a neighboring village. She left Garfiel to continue working on molding and shaping some steel plating and Paninya and 2 year old Maes having a little picnic together on the Rockbell lawn. Paninya had made Maes a crown of white daisies and he marched around her in circles giggling like a hyena. Those two were getting along swimmingly. One hand on her swollen belly, she climbed the hill back up to her home and the school grounds.

Classes were still in session. Alphonse had his group of 7-9 year olds outside practicing drawing transmutation circles in the earth and feeling the weight of soil in order to transmute shapes out of mud. Some students were having a hard time of it and creating objects that were too top heavy – they broke and crumbled in the grass. Winry could also hear Dr. Marco from an open window, teaching the elder students the complicated formulas behind bio-alchemy and its uses for medicine.

She by-passed all this, and entered her namesake, Rockbell Hall, where her husband's office was. She let herself in though he was absent from the room for now. It was a mess. He had only inhabited it for one semester, but he had papers, books, exams, scales, calligraphy pens, and half eaten sandwiches everywhere.

"Oh, Edward." She sighed, and tried to straighten up a little. She cleared enough space on his couch for at least a few people to sit at and started organizing the shelves.

"Yes, Winry?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin in fright! There he was, in the doorway, watching her with a happy grin on his face. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked, raising one eye brow.

"This place is a zoo." She said frankly, and sat down on the couch, abandoning the effort. Boy, it felt great to sit down. She rubbed her belly protectively as she lifted her feet up onto his coffee table, trying to avoid the unmarked term papers that were littered there.

"I like it like this." He said sweetly. He came to sit across from her and let his own feet rest on top of hers. They sat and looked at each other for a moment, both trying to contain their grins.

"Clarissa is joining us for supper at our place tonight. She hasn't really taken to the dining hall crowd."

"That's fine. She needs to have some maintenance done on her arm. I'll do it after supper. Paninya and Garfiel can help if they like."

"Thanks. I should be done with lessons around 4. Alphonse has offered to put the students to bed tonight since Mei is scheduled for the girls his evening anyway." He sighed and leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Enjoying a quiet moment.

"That's good. You can watch Maes while I work." Winry giggled.

"Yes. It's been a while since I was able to put him to bed myself." Edward remarked happily. "How's the baby?"

"Hanging in there. She's only 3 weeks away."

"How do you know it's a she?" Edward said, color rising to his cheeks. It still made him incredibly nervous that he may soon be in charge of a little girl.

"I just get this feeling." Winry remarked happily, shifting her feet so they rested on top of Ed's. "You will be a great Father to a little girl, just like you are to Maes. Look how wonderful you are with Clarissa. She didn't talk at all when she first came here. Now, she talks too much."

"You don't see her with the other students though. She totally shuts down. She doesn't even like transmuting in front of them. I get this funny feeling. When she watches Alphonse or Izumi clap their hands during demonstrations, she gets this weird look on her face. Like she recognizes what they are doing."

"Be patient with her Edward. She'll open up with time."

"'Suppose so."

Winry felt a little kick inside. "Ah! Ed! Give me your hand quick."

She reached out and he met her half way. Taking his wrist in her hands, Winry placed his outstretched hand onto her belly, right where the pulsating knock was beating from inside her stomach. "The baby is moving." She laughed.

Ed's eyes grew large. He had done this several times before with Maes. But, this was the first time he had felt his child move from inside its mother's belly. It sent shivers down his spine. His lips expanded in a huge smile.

"She's strong." He said happily.

/

"How was your day at school, Clarissa?" Winry asked, as she organized the wrenches and tools on her tray, preparing for her work on Clarissa's arm. The young girl tied her strawberry blond hair back behind her ears and rolled up her uniform sleeves all the way to her shoulder. She shrugged, her face unchanging.

"I learned a moderate amount."

Winry grinned. She was so matter of fact for a 12 year old.

"I see. I'm always glad to have you at dinner. But, don't you want to eat with your friends in the dining hall?" Winry asked, pulling the arm towards her and slighting adjusting the tightness on the fingers.

"No. I don't like the noise." She said bluntly.

"Now, Clare, it's just as noisy at our table! With Maes throwing his food down on the floor every two seconds." The macaroni and cheese stain that currently graced Winry's dress stuck out particularly noticeable at this statement.

"I don't mind a baby making noise. It's people my age I don't like to hear talk."

"So anti-social!" Winry remarked looking at the young girls face sadly.

"You need to let people in Clarissa. It's part of being a human being after all. Nobody can carry the weight of the world on their own shoulders alone."

At that moment they heard the knocking for footsteps coming down the stairs into the work-room Winry had set up. They were slightly off balanced which meant that one of the legs making that noise was metal. Edward appeared from the doorway, carrying a tray of chocolate ice cream. "I brought you ladies some desert. Want some."

"Yes please!" Winry shouted, already hungry again though she had just ate dinner. Clarissa cracked a smile, probably the first of the day.

As they ate, Edward told Clarissa the stories about his own mishaps with his automail, much to Winry's consternation.

"And then, she tried to play it off like she HADN'T forgotten the screw, come to find out! She was gonna make me believe that the arm falling apart in the middle of a fight was my fault! I could've gotten killed easily!" he was saying, happy to see that he was making the young, serious student laugh with his dramatic rehashing of his fight with Number 48.

"Ouch…oh, ow." Winry dropped her bowl of ice cream and it went shattering to the floor. In an instant, his story forgotten, Edward was by her side as she suddenly crouched down, holding the underside of her belly.

"Winry." He said worriedly, "What's the matter?" Her face was wrinkled with pain, her fingers shaking on the surface of her swollen belly.

"Ah. I'm having this horrible pain…" she gasped. Something felt terribly wrong. She looked up to see Clarissa on her feet, eyes as big as city spotlight.

"Show me where, Winry. Where are you having the pain?" Edward whispered in her ear, trying to feel for any signs of danger on his wife's body. He pulled his hand away from her upper thigh but then gave a start. His hand was pink with blood that had soaked through his wife's dress in only a few instants.

Winry screamed.

"I'll go get Dr. Marco!" Clarissa cried, eyes fixated on Edward's bloody hand and in an flash, she was gone.

This was a crisis, and Edward tried to remain calm as his wife started to hysterically cry, holding her belly protectively in order to stop the floor of blood. Ed lifted her up and carried her up the stairs, through the kitchen and onto the sofa. Winry's screams had attracted Paninya and Maes from the kitchen. Paninya gave a cry in shock as she saw the reason for the screams.

"Paninya!" Edward cried, trying to comfort his wife as he laid her on the sofa, his hands patting her gently. "Paninya, go get Alphonse and Mei…take Maes with you. Hurry!"

He turned to look at his wife's tear soaked face. She looked to be in some terrible pain and he couldn't understand what could have possibly happened. He wouldn't let his thoughts trail to any other situation than the best. He couldn't even fathom why this was happening.

"It's going to be okay, Winry. It's going to be fine." He whispered softly, kissing her forehead. He begged for it to be okay. It had to be fine.

It just had to be.


	15. Use It

Mei pressed the cold compress against Winry's forehead and let it rest there. Sweat bathed her neck and chest and she was breathing heavily enduring premature contractions that shook the room with crashing intensity. Her skin was so pale it looked translucent and give her a ghostly quality. It made Mei nervous. Marco stooped over her, examining her while Edward and Alphonse waited in the hall. There was blood everywhere.

"Mei. What's happening." Winry asked weakly, trying to look around by rising up a little. Mei pushed her gently back down onto the bed. She didn't want Winry to see the blood.

"Dr. Marco is looking to see if he can find the problem. He is going to fix you up." Mei said positively, brushing the wet cloth across her cheeks and neck, trying to keep her cool.

Meanwhile, out in the hall, Alphonse sat in a kitchen chair moved and pressed against the wall, facing the bedroom doorway. He held his nephew in his arms. Maes had dozed off and hung limp across his uncle's left leg and arm. Alphonse cuddled him gently in order not to wake him. He may be a grown man now, nearly 23 years old. But at this moment, he felt as small as Maes – as small as he had been as he waited for the doctors to examine his mother all those years ago. He watched his brother, concern etched deep through his gold eyes. Edward couldn't keep still; he paced the hall from end to end. One moment his hands where in his hair, pulling ruthlessly, the next they were in his pockets then behind his back. Sometimes, Alphonse saw a tear streak across his brother's face that was quickly brushed away with anger. He knew all the emotions Edward must be feeling in this moment. The fear.

Marco emerged from the bedroom and shut the door behind him. He came to stand before Alphonse and beckoned Edward to him. At once Edward sprung to attention, he face tense with anxiety.

"What's wrong, Marco. Will we lose the baby? Will Winry be alright? Can I see her."

All the questions flew from Edward's lips like a hail storm. He thought he may split into two if he couldn't see Winry soon. Marco raised his hand and gripped Edward's shoulders hard, the lines of his face stark against his aging skin.

"Edward, the baby is putting a lot of stress on Winry's body now. She is losing too much blood. I do not know exactly what is happening in the womb to cause this, but if we do not remove the child, your wife will die."

The silence hung as lifeless and heavy as a stone. It crushed Edward like a landslide. He felt cold all over. His legs buckled beneath him and he sunk to the floor.

Alphonse spoke for him. "Will the baby be okay if we do an emergency delivery?" He clutched Maes closer to his chest in anticipation of the answer.

"I can not guarantee that simply delivering the baby early will save either life. Childbirth is very dangerous. The baby should be developed enough to survive assuming the delivery goes well. I do not know what will happen though once we begin the procedure. Their heart rates could drop." Marco stopped. He could tell that continuing in detail would only be cruel, the look on Edward's face was so pitiful that he could not go on.

His hand went for his pocket.

Marco knelt opposite Edward and patted his leg. Edward looked up, tears leaking out of his eyes.

"Edward. I know that you will say this is not an option. I beg you to reconsider. I can tell you now that I have the power still to save both lives tonight, but it will be through extraordinary means.

He pulled out a glowing red stone, the size of a small pebble.

Alphonse's eyes widened. He knew that eerie pink glow all too well.

"The power of the Philosopher's Stone will save them. It will restore the lost blood and remove the child from his mother without further trauma. It will replace any oxygen that has been lost. May I use it to save Winry and your child?"

Edward made no sign that he had even heard, Marco. He merely stared blankly at the stone in his hand. He had forgotten that Marco had had this. There were hundreds if not thousands of souls trapped in that little stone. Human lives.

Winry gave out a strangled cry from inside the bedroom. Edward was torn away from his thoughts and back to the present.

He met Marco's gaze. "The souls in that stone no longer have bodies to return to. I can not presume to know how they would like their lives to be used. I have to think that rather than for war or power, they would want to be used to save a life."

"I think so too, brother." Alphonse affirmed.

Edward nodded. He felt certain that it was the right course. He could not abandon his wife and child. They were his entire world.

"Do what you can. Use it."

/

Winry was having a vague dream. She tasted the subtle hint of salt on her tongue and heard the rush of water. She was swimming in a vast, green ocean. The water was murky and deep. She was cold and numb but desperately clinging to the surface of the water – pushing for air.

The sky above the water was misty gray. There was nothing to hold onto in the water. Just the vision of sky.

But then, there was a light – a red electric light.

It felt warm. Winry swam towards it.

The next thing she knew she was opening her eyes. It was as if she had slept for days, but it could have only been a few minutes. There was a low murmur of voices from across the dimly lit room. She noticed that she was no longer in agonizing pain. She noticed that her body felt different than it had before the dream.

"Where's Edward" she croaked, trying to raise herself up.

"Shhh, honey. I'm right here."

That familiar warm hand gently rubbed the crown of her head and fell to rest on her red cheeks. His other hand clasped her shoulder and rubbed softly. His eyes looked tired but content. He seemed to have had a great relief. She smiled up at him faintly.

"I had a terrible dream." She whispered, bringing her own hand to rest on top of his.

"I want to introduce you to someone, Winry." Edward said. He turned for a moment. As Winry gained strength, her vision became clearer. She marked Alphonse handing Edward a bundle of something small and red.

And then she realized.

Alphonse helped Winry raise up and let her rest gently in a sitting position against the head board. Edward kept one hand on his daughter's newborn back but let Winry gingerly hold her with what strength she had. Winry looked down into the closed pink eyes of her newborn daughter. Her breath went out of her. She felt reckless with love and relief.

"Trisha. I am so glad you are okay."


	16. Family PortraitHistory of Love

Spring passed to Summer, and the first full year of classes and operations at the Elric Academy of Civic Alchemy came to a close. The students gathered at the Risembool train station for their 8 week summer vacation. Only a handful remained on the campus for the entirety of the summer to be looked after by the Elrics. In a moment, the loud chatter of young voices saying their temporary goodbyes faded, and Rizembool was just another sleepy country town once more…at least, for a little while.

The day after the students left for their holiday, Winry made a phone call. She pulled out Maes' best white t-shirt that had not been stained – yet, with food or dirt and made make shift pig tails out of what little hair could be found on Trisha's 4 month head. Winry clapped her hands with pride and giggled at her cute baby daughter who looked especially adorable her two pig tails sticking straight up off her head like weird bug antennae. Maes found it funny too and kept trying to pull them off his sister's head despite his mother's scolding.

"You better not try that again Mr!" Winry exclaimed with mock seriousness. She tickled the little toddler in his most sensitive spot (under his arms), which caused him to run shrieking from the room and into his Father's arms.

"What's up little man? What's your mother up to now?"

Edward joined his wife in the nursery with a struggling Meas locked tight under his arm, half upside down and loving it.

"Looking good!" He chuckled while patting his daughter's tiny head with his gentle hands. Everytime he saw those big blue eyes, he melted inside. His daughter favored Winry with each passing week, juast as Maes favored him. However, it seemed to Edward that Maes carried more of his mother's personality, while curious and unafraid baby Trisha already showed signs of being more like her dad in disposition. Edward wondered what kind of people his children would turn out to be. What would they be like when they were older? They were a perpetual source of wonder to him and it still surprised him sometimes that those two little bodies had come from Winry and himself. All that love he had felt for his wife cultivated human life. Better than any alchemy equation or theory out there – was the power of true human affection.

"Edward, I want you to go down and find Alphonse and Mei and meet me in the family room in 30 minutes. Mr. Aldridge should be there by then." Winry said, setting her daughter down gently in her play pen.

"Mr. Aldridge? The photographer?" Edward asked, surprised.

"Yes. Today, we are having our picture taken. We need one of the whole family." Winry leaned forward and tried to smooth Maes's hair down to a somewhat decent position that didn't look like he had just jumped off a flying carpet. No matter how many times she tried to smooth it down, it just stuck back up.

Edward drank in his wife's words. His thoughts raced to the past in a flash. He remembered the Rockbell photo board he had grown up studying. He remembered the very first Elric Family photo. He remembered his father's face, full of tears as he held a young Edward. As a child, Edward did not understand why his Father had been crying. It made him angry to think that perhaps his Father cried because he had hated his family? In his rage, it was Edward that had rearranged the photographs to cover his father's face. But now, Edward knew the true reasons for his father's tears and felt that deep down inside himself, he carried those same emotions of overwhelming lover and gratitude for the family he had created. He remembered the smile of his mother. Looking down at his son and over this his daughter in her play pen, Edward began to feel like a new Elric Family Photo was definitely in order.

He gathered Maes up to sit on top his shoulders, and the two went to find the other members of the Elric family as instructed. Once he had located Alphonse and Me, he also instructed Garfiel and Paninya, still staying at the Rockbell automail shop to help with orders while Winry cared for baby Trisha, to come be in the picture. The more the merrier!

Mr. Aldridge lined them up, but that was the extent of his capabilities. He couldn't get them all to be still and quiet like most families were when taking a family portrait. Garfiel kept attempting to squeeze Alphonse's ass, Mei repeatedly tried to get the family to say Xingese catch phrases rather than "cheese," and despite everything Maes continued reaching out to pull his sister's hair which then proceeded to give his father the worst case of the giggles ever. Only a few times did Mr. Alrdige manage to get every face turned towards the camera.

It was organic, though. The moments caught on film. This was a rowdy but happy family and Aldridge, though slightly exasperated felt relatively certain he'd gotten a good one.

"I'll have the proofs to you late tomorrow, Ms. Elric" the old photographer said cheerily, and let himself out of the house and back to his studio.

/

Once the children were in bed, the adults gathered around and looked at old Rockbell photograph albums Pinako had saved from before Ed and Al's journey. There were many moments caught on film that Edward had forgotten, and he couldn't believe that he used to be that small. There were photographs of Al in Armor and Edward without a right arm or with a prosthetic, depending on when the photograph was taken.

It was astonishing to think of how far they had come.

Edward met his brother's eyes from across the album. They shared a quiet moment while their wives chatted happily.

Here they were. This was the goal they had worked so hard to attain. A family, a happy life, bodies that were whole (or nearly so), and they had realized their dreams for a world made better with alchemy, for the people of Amestris and the world.

They smiled.

\\

Before bed, Winry drew a warm bath and she and Edward both inched into the water together, legs intertwining in a patchwork of underwater skin. They relaxed into the warmth and into each other and sat for a long time, listening to the others breathing. Winry took Edward's flesh foot into her hands and scrubbed the arch and slowly moved up his legs, his hips, his chest, his shoulders. She took the soap and drew circles of suds on his arms and down his body. She was attentive, and Edward watched her as she worked.

He thought back on the pictures and on his life with Winry. Yes. They really had come a long way.

He took the soap from her and repeated her actions. He washed her and massaged the tense muscles of her shoulders and back. They dried off and crossed the hall to their bedroom. They climbed into their bed and felt like jellyfish in the comfy softness of their bed. They made love – achingly slow and gentle. They devoured every second they could in this familiar and beautiful dance.

As they finished and prepared for sleep, Edward turned and took Winry's face in his hands.

"I am so glad that you are still here with me." Edward said, kissing his wife softly on the mouth and pulling the covers up to their necks.

"I am so glad that you came home to me." She replied

/

The next day, the family gathered up food, water, blankets, and outdoor paraphernalia for a summer picnic at the watering hole. As they were preparing to leave Mr. Aldridge arrived on the door step with a small note book full of pictures for their selection.

Winry happily pulled the photos out for examination, Edward, Alphonse, and Mei looked over her shoulders, anxious to see how they had turned out.

"This one's the best." She said, selecting the third.

She took the photograph over to the old Rockbell Board Alphonse had brought up earlier that morning and nailed to the living room wall. In the center of all the old pictures that had been assembled there, Winry pinned the new Elric Family photo in its rightful place. Maes laughed, fascinated by the photograph as small children usually are with their own image.

"Look, Daddy! That's us! That's Maes's Family." He said happily.

Edward grinned and lifted his son up into his arms. He lightly fingered the photograph and let out a sigh of contentment. This picture would do.

"Yes. And don't we look happy."

They all stood back to admire it – the new Elric Family Photo.

Even after they were gone, a shadow of a memory generations later, this picture would survive. It would be a piece of the story – the story of the Elric Brothers and the people they had loved. Their Legacy would live on after long after that day and their story would pass into legend. The school would grow and became the largest of its kind – an institution that stood for peace and progression of young minds. It would change the face of Rizembool from a small town to a cultural mecca, a large metropolis full of learning. The story of the Fullmetal Alchemist and his journey would be cemented into Amestrian history as a national legend and not one child could grow up without hearing the name Edward or Alphonse Elric. Sometimes the truth was enhanced or exaggerated; sometimes, the truth was stranger than the legend. In the end, the Elric family held a special place in the hearts of all Amestrians. After all, there hard always been many interpretations of truth.

But the picture? It stayed in the family – and despite the passage of time, it always remained a true artifact from the past and spoke to who the Elrics really were. It would always be a true artifact representing just a glimpse from the History of Love.

.


	17. Author's Note!

I do agree that this story has a very definite finale/ending that is fitting. I will have a lot of time to write this weekend and think I will either write something new similar to this story or continue my other Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood series "The Unfortunate Adventures of a Peeping Alchemist." If you like this story, you may also enjoy that one that centers around Edward and Winry in Xing. Its more comedy than this story but has some good stuff in it :) Be looking out for new chapters and new stories. I'm back on a writing kick!

I'd also like to thank everyone for their support of this story. It's been a pleasure to write and read your comments! Fullmetal Alchemist is my favorite manga and I've been rereading it this month - hence the writing. I'm so happy that I'm able to capture those characters to your liking!

Arigato!


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